… and still going strong
DHANABAGIAM “Dhanum’’ Govender of Shallcross marked her 100th birthday last Friday. The mother, grandmother and great-grandmother celebrated with her family at her home.
Govender was born in the old corrugated tin-and-iron barracks on the Melville Sugar Estates, near Stanger on the old North Coast of KZN, in 1923. She was the eldest of 10 children.
Ganesh Kitoony Nair, 87, is her brother. He facilitated an interview with Govender as she only speaks Tamil.
“She had no schooling of any kind but had inculcated great moral values and discipline in her children.
“She married Shunmugam Govender on 20 December 1942. Shunmugam was from 26 Delhi Avenue, Mayville, in Cato Manor,” he said.
They had 11 children – six sons and five daughters. Her husband worked in the dispatch department of Durban Confectionery Works (Beacon) on the Old South Coast Road, Mobeni, travelling to and from work by bicycle.
“She always worked hard to supplement the meagre family income, to offer her children the best possible education and to maintain the family property in Cato Manor,” said Nair.
When the Govender family were evicted, and their property was expropriated in terms of the Group Areas Act of 1966, they moved to Shallcross.
“With the demise of her husband in 1984, she continued to live in Shallcross. She is now joined by her widowed daughter, Shireen Lutchman.
“My sister is a very humble person, and was a dedicated mother to her family, including her extended family members. She generally spoke in her mother tongue, Tamil, and her spoken English was largely acquired from her children and grandchildren.
“She is fondly remembered for travelling in the Royal Inner-Circle Bus to visit relatives in Chatsworth and Merebank. Even in her early nineties, she took the taxi from Shallcross to Bangladesh Market in Chatsworth to purchase fruits and fresh vegetables.”
Govender has lived through many pivotal moments in history.
Nair explained: “She recalls very vividly the Second World War (1939-1945), the armoured tanks and trucks taking soldiers to the borders, and of the blackouts during nights when fighter planes scoured the skies with droning sounds.
“Then there were the unforgettable Durban Riots of 1949. Living in Delhi Avenue, Cato Manor, her family took shelter in nearby CN Rana’s Shopping Centre in Jan Smuts Highway, partially sheltered by the British Navy at the instigation of the government of India.
“She fondly remembers the famous tollgate to Durban on her way to the Morning Market in Warwick Avenue and the occasional visit to nearby Mayville Cinema with her husband. She recalls regular visits with meals to see a granny who was in the nearby Aryan Benevolent Homes in Bellair Road,” said Nair.
Govender is a well-known personality and an active member of the Shallcross Senior Citizens Club.
“She loves gardening, even to this day, growing vegetables and a beautiful range of flowers in the back garden. Her visiting family members always looked forward to her lovely Indian curries. Until she became hard of hearing, her pastimes were watching Tamil movies and listening to Tamil songs at home.”
Although Govender cherishes the simple, humble life she leads, she is spiritually strong in her faith.
“She wakes up at 5am every day, and prays at her lamp. She never misses a day,” said Nair.
Her faith has also helped her during difficult times, he said.
“Undoubtedly, the low points in her life were being evicted from her Cato Manor home, the loss of her soul-mate, husband Shunmugam, and the demise of her late sons, Krishna, Swaminathan and Rajgopaul, and her daughter Parvathy and her son-in-law, Soobramoney last year.
“On account of the recent deaths last year, she has requested that her centenary celebration be marked on a low key,” said Nair.
Govender still has seven children: Mickey, Kamala, Nirmala, Shakun,
Shireen, Rajen and Vijen. She has 28 grandchildren and 48 great-grandchildren (14 from her fourth generation, several of whom are already attending secondary schools).
She also has four surviving siblings: Dr Ganesh K Nair, Parvathy Govender, Savathri Johnny Tandroyen and Vasantie Nair, the youngest, who recently celebrated 70 years.
Devi Naidoo, her daughter, said: “My mum was a hard-working person. She worked to provide a good life for her 11 children. She worked at the Umbilo Nuts factory as a nut picker and at Escort Clothing as a checker, but she always made sure she cooked us a warm meal every day.”
Nero Govender, 65, her third daughter, said her mum has no illnesses.
“She is very strong. She has no pressure, no sugar and no arthritis. She walks up straight with no walker and is able to take care of herself. She even has four sugars in her tea and loves jelly tots. She never deprives herself of what she loves.”
Shereen Lutchman, 64, her fourth daughter, said: “I live with my mum, and I take care of her. The only condition she has is psoriasis. So every morning, I rub on her medicine, and we have morning chats.
“She has done a lot for me, so this is the least I can do. She took care of me and my children after my husband passed away. I’m so grateful and happy she has reached 100 years old.”
The family will celebrate Govender’s 100 years with a party in Queensburgh Hall, Malvern, on May 27.