Epainette Mbeki

Epainette Mbeki
SCOB
Born Nomaka Epainette Moerane
(1916-02-16)16 February 1916
Mount Fletcher, Cape Province
Died 7 June 2014(2014-06-07) (aged 98)
East London, Eastern Cape[1]
Nationality South African
Known for Anti apartheid activism
Spouse(s) Govan Mbeki
Children Thabo Mbeki
Moeletsi Mbeki

Nomaka Epainette Mbeki, née Moerane (16 February 1916 – 7 June 2014),[2] commonly known as "MaMbeki", was the mother of former South African president Thabo Mbeki and widow of political activist Govan Mbeki. She lived in Ngcingwane, a rural hamlet near Dutywa, one of South Africa's poorest municipalities. She was known for her auspicious relatives and, more importantly to her,[3] her endeavours to improve the residents' quality of life. Gillian Rennie, in an award-winning profile, quoted a co-worker as saying, "She is not like other retired people, getting a pension and saying, 'Let me play golf and fish a bit.' The old lady is a humble person."[3]

Life

Born at Mount Fletcher in the Drakensberg, she grew up in humble environs, the sixth of seven children. Early every morning before school, she would chase birds from her father's sorghum fields before returning after school for further bird-chasing. She was educated at Lovedale School before qualifying as a teacher at Adams College near Durban.[4]

Community work

Mbeki was the brains behind the Khanyisa beadwork project, which has sustained the art of traditional African beadwork and provided livelihoods for 24 Ngcingwanean women. She was involved with the Linda Mbeki Hospice, which operates from the former Mbeki home in Mbewuleni, and was founded to commemorate the life of her daughter, who died in 2005. Mbeki also established the Nomaka Mbeki Technical Senior Secondary School and owned the Goodwill Trading Store, whose cash-counting and bookkeeping she did herself.

Sesotho-speaking and traditionalist, Mbeki placed great importance on education. Although it has been suggested, not least by Stofile (to whom Mbeki gave her religion), that she venture into politics, she has never been especially enamoured with the idea. "I wouldn't do as a member of parliament. You have to live with the people; you have to move among the people, to know their conditions [...]. Premier Makhenkesi says, 'I think you should belong to my government.' I say, 'No, that's not proper because, when I get there, I'll be as dull as you people. I'll be just as dull.'"[3] Her son, Thabo, attributed much of his political success to the wisdom of his mother, but she disagreed: "I wouldn't call it wisdom; it's an attitude, the attitude of self-last. He should forget about the ego and listen to the next man. That's really what he must do. I think he has managed; I think he has managed."[3]

Awards and recognition

Mbeki won the Community Builder of the Year award (for which she had to go "all the way to Johannesburg"), a NAFCOC founder member award, a Transkei chamber stalwart award, the King Cetshwayo African Image Award, and the Eastern Cape arts and culture award for Khanyisa, given her by Arnold Stofile.[3] She was also awarded the Order of the Baobab in 2006.[5]

References

Notes

  1. ↑ "MaMbeki a true icon: Commission". South African Broadcasting Corporation. South African Press Association. 7 June 2014. Archived from the original on 8 June 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  2. ↑ Google Books
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Rennie, Gillian: Raising Thabo (Fair Lady, 2006).
  4. ↑ Gumede, William Mervin (2007). Thabo Mbeki and the battle for the soul of the ANC (Rev. ed.). Cape Town: Struik. p. 38. ISBN 1770070990.
  5. ↑ "The Order of the Baobab". The Presidency of South Africa. Archived from the original on 8 June 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
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