Zandisile Luphahla

Respect of the elderly and God, taking care of your health and a positive attitude towards life will lead you to live more than 100 years, says Maria Suzan Mosadiwapula Riet.

She turned 111 on November 20, but celebrated her life with relatives on Sunday.

Riet, who worked as a domestic worker all her life on the farms around Ritchie. boasted that she was older than the ruling ANC. “When it was formed I was very young, I could have joined if I was living in the township, but because on the farms we were not allowed to join politics, the chances of me joining the movement were slim.”

Riet, who was born on November 20, 1901, in Ritchie, also credited her long life to her husband who passed on 20 years ago.

“He was supportive, even after I lost my three kids when they were still young, my husband was always there for me.”

Riet left the farms in 2011 for Kimberley where she stays with her great granddaughter, Mitta Sekgabo.

“Ouma is fun to be with, she is always talking to us and giving us advice on how to approach life. She knows most of the things so we take advice from her,” said Sekgabo.

zandisilel@thenewage.co.za