Gogo Mlambo’s lifelong mission to help those in need
SABBATH “Gogo” Mlambo has been a ray of hope, especially to destitute families and sickly people living in various Durban townships.
The 88-year-old New Germany resident’s mission to care for others started in the 1960s, when the apartheid government was sceptical about do-gooders such as Mlambo.
In spite of the scrutiny, Mlambo cared for cancer and tuberculosis sufferers, and through her community outreach projects in townships such as Lamontville, Chesterville and Clermont, she was able to provide meals to locals.
They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and that is the case for the elderly “Gogo Mlambo”, as she is known in townships.
Her daughter, former deputy president of the country, Phumzile Mlambo-ngcuka, is at present the executive director of UN Women, the organisation that drives women’s empowerment projects around the world.
But Mlambo senior prefers to keep it local.
As a retired nurse who served the ethekwini Municipality previously, she was called out of retirement to head the St Clement’s home-based Care project in 2001 that provided assistance to the families of HIV and Aids sufferers in her hometown Clermont.
In her lounge, hangs pictures of her posing with former state presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki and former minister of social development Zola Skweyiya. On a wooden table in a corner of the lounge is a collection of glossy certificates and community awards.
Like so many others, Nelson Mandela inspired Mlambo who she described as someone who possessed empathy and kindness for the less fortunate.
“Madiba was very pleased with our project of helping sickly and the poor people. He was touched by the kind of work we were doing and gave his support,” Mlambo said.
Her face lit up when she recalled meeting former first lady Zanele Mbeki and ANC Women’s League stalwart Albertina Sisulu at a funeral.
She said another highlight for her was the Clermont community’s show of support and appreciation for her daughter’s rise to the deputy president position in 2005.
“People were jubilant that a child born in Clermont had become the deputy president of the country. Others wanted our road to be named Mlambo Avenue,” she said.
Other leaders who Mlambo had met and holds in high esteem include Graça Machel, Winnie Madikizela-mandela, Zanele Mbeki and Albertina and her husband Walter Sisulu.
Mlambo was recently honoured with a community award at a glittering ceremony held at Sugar Ray Xulu stadium.
She had harsh words for men who abused women and children. “During our days’ men protected women but today the opposite is happening,” she said.
Mlambo is very passionate about education. She has also funded the studies of orphans and children from poor families who have become professionals like doctors, geologists and lawyers.
Despite her age, destitute people were still queueing regularly at the gate for food parcels.
As a staunch Catholic, Mlambo who had teamed up with the late Archbishop Denis Hurley on numerous community projects, said her strength to serve others came from God and would continue for as long as she received the breathe of life.