The Sunday News
Ntombiyolwandle Ndlovu, Sunday Leisure Reporter
SELF discipline and a healthy diet is what probably saw a Mzilikazi centenarian reach the age of 103.
Eva Mnkandla, who suffered a cardiac arrest a fortnight ago and was laid to rest last Wednesday, is said to have lived a humble a life.
The family spokesperson, Bongani Ndebele, said the late Mnkandla, popularly known as MaGumede, lived this long thanks to a diet of traditional foods that included inkobe, umxhanxa, umfushwa, idelele, isitshwala senyawuthi, esamabele and umpholokoqo.
Ndebele said MaGumede was an inspiration to his family, adding that the family was shocked by her death, as they expected her to keep on defying death.
“Gogo MaGumede passed on in the early hours of last week Saturday and was buried on Wednesday at West Park Cemetery.
We had just celebrated her birthday and little did we know it was the last,” said Ndebele.
He said she died due to a cardiac arrest.
Ndebele said: “Most people these days die at a tender age. We are proud that she lived this long and we were part of her life.”
MaGumede’s picture shows her heavily weathered skin, a sign of her life’s long journey. She had six children, three are late, 37 grandchildren and 81 great-grandchildren.
She was born in Gwanda District, but later relocated to Gomoza in Lupane. By the time of her death she was staying in Mzilikazi.
According to the World Health Organisation 2013 statistics, life expectancy on average for both sexes globally is 71, 56 years in low-income countries and 79 years in high-income countries.
