Queenstown man celebrates 107th birthday
LAST Wednesday was no ordinary day for Queenstown resident Joseph Mfihlo Mazaleni who turned 107 years old.
Mazaleni, who lives with his family in the Westbourne area, wore a suit in honour of his birthday, spending most of the day in a chair basking in the sun outside the family home.
When told by his son, Mluleki, that it was his birthday, he responded by asking how old he was. As his hearing has faded, he was told rather loudly that he was 107. He responded with a touch of humour that he was “still quite young” and that he would be old when he reached 200.
He was born near Aliwal North in 1908 and was one of eight children. He is the only sibling still alive.
He moved to Queenstown in 1995 to live with his family.
He has retained his spirit of independence and while getting ready for his photo to be taken, he brushed off the aid of an assistant, insisting that he could walk by himself.
According to his son, he is in good health and has no signs of diabetes, high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol levels. In the past few years, a cataract operation restored his sight.
He is unable to read or write, but said he had been a hard worker on farms in the districts of Aliwal North, Dordrecht and the Free State. He also worked as a security guard at factories in King William’s Town and Cala and retired from the latter.
He was married to the late Rosie and they had seven children of whom six are still alive. There are 26 grandchildren and more than 30 great grandchildren. He finds joy in visits from his children and attributes his longevity to his children’s prayers for his wellbeing.