Mama Manaka lived with cancer for 43 years
Trained nurse and teacher a preacher
Born: August 13 1931
Died: April 2 2017
Funeral Service: Tomorrow, from 6.30am at 698 Moruleng Street, Zone 1 Mahwelereng, Mokopane
Burial: Local cemetery Mama Paulina Manaka was a cancer survivor for 43 years and put up a good fight against the disease until the end. She was first operated on in 1979.
A trained nurse and teacher, Manaka was born Paulina Mamathulanisha Ledwaba on August 13 1931 in Mahwelereng, Mokopane, to Rev Solomon Ledwaba and Mawetja Salome Ledwaba .
She started school at GaKgoroshi in Moletjie, Limpopo. She later moved with her parents to Stofberg in the Free State where her father had been deployed as a priest.
She only did Form 1 in Stofberg before returning to then Pietersburg (Polokwane) where she did Form 2 and 3 at Bethesda College .
She married Moses Gideon Manaka in the early 1950s.
Manaka started training as a nurse at Groothoek Hospital in Zebediela, proceeded to Voortrekker Hospital in Mokopane and finally completed her training at Marcus Masebe, also in Mokopane.
After completing her nursing diploma, Manaka went on to Mokopane Training College where she did her teacher’s diploma in 1963.
She started teaching in 1964 at Mekerong Primary in Leyden, near Mokopane.
She later taught at Dikobo, also in Mokopane. Her final postings were at Gaba in Mapela and Kgopedinota schools.
In 1991 she took early retirement as a result of ill-health. By then she had decided to dedicate her life to the church by joining the Anglican Church as leader of the Mothers Union in 1990.
Manaka later became a lay preacher at Christ The King Anglican Church in Mahwelereng.
She worked in the Madiba area of Mahwelereng where she helped establish The All Saints Church.
She is survived by her children Oupa, Mantsha and Simon.
Manaka’s funeral service will be held tomorrow at her home in Mahwelereng, Mokopane.
The cortege will leave for the local cemetery at 10.30am.
May her soul rest in peace.