Epainette Mbeki | |
|---|---|
| Born | Nomaka Epainette Moerane (1916-02-16)16 February 1916[1] |
| Died | 7 June 2014(2014-06-07) (aged 98) |
| Nationality | South African |
| Known for | Anti apartheid and community activism |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Linda Mbeki (daughter; born 1941, died 2003) Thabo Mbeki (son; born 1942) Moeletsi Mbeki (son; born 1945) Jama Mbeki (son; born 1948, died 1982) |
| Relatives | Michael Mosoeu Moerane (brother) |
Nomaka Epainette Mbeki (néeMoerane; 16 February 1916 – 7 June 2014), commonly known as "MaMbeki", a stalwart community activist and promoter of women's development, mother of formerPresident of South AfricaThabo Mbeki.[3] and widow of political activist andRivonia trialist, Dr.Govan Mbeki. She lived inNgcingwane, a rural hamlet nearDutywa, one ofSouth Africa's poorest municipalities. She was known for her auspicious relatives and, more importantly to her,[4] her endeavours to improve the residents' quality of life.Gillian Rennie, in an award-winning profile, quoted a co-worker as saying, "She is not like other retired people, getting a pension and saying, 'Let me play golf and fish a bit.' The old lady is a humble person."[4]
She was a member of theBafokeng, specifically the Mahoona clan – traditional healers who are one of the first agro-pastoralists to arrive in Lesotho.[5]: 21–22 Born atMount Fletcher in theDrakensberg, she grew up in humble environs, the sixth of seven children born to Eleazar Jakane Moerane and his wife Sofi Majara, whose grandparents were disciples ofMoshoeshoe I and were among the firstBasotho converts to Christianity.[5]: 23–24 Her parents were African landowners and members of theParis Evangelical Missionary Society Church. Most of their abundant arable land and livestock, however, had disappeared by the 1990s, owing largely to theapartheid government'sHomelands policy.[5]: 27–29 Early every morning before school, she would chase birds from her father's sorghum fields before returning after school for further bird-chasing. She was educated atLovedale School before qualifying as a teacher atAdams College,Amanzimtoti nearDurban.[6]
Mbeki was the brains behind the Khanyisa beadwork project, which has sustained the art of traditional African beadwork and provided livelihoods for 24 Ngcingwanean women. She was involved with theLinda Mbeki Hospice, which operates from the former Mbeki home inMbewuleni, and was founded to commemorate the life of her daughter, who died in 2003. Mbeki also established theNomaka Mbeki Technical Senior Secondary School and owned the Goodwill Trading Store, whose cash-counting and bookkeeping she did herself.
Sesotho-speaking and traditionalist, Mbeki placed great importance oneducation. Although it has been suggested, not least byArnold Stofile (to whom Mbeki gave her religion), that she venture into politics, she has never been especially enamoured with the idea. "I wouldn't do as a member of parliament. You have to live with the people; you have to move among the people, to know their conditions [...]. Premier Makhenkesi says, 'I think you should belong to my government.' I say, 'No, that's not proper because, when I get there, I'll be as dull as you people.'"[4] Her son, Thabo, attributed much of his political success to the wisdom of his mother, but she disagreed: "I wouldn't call it wisdom; it's an attitude, the attitude of self-last. He should forget about the ego and listen to the next man. That's really what he must do. I think he has managed; I think he has managed."
Mbeki died inEast London atFrere Hospital in June 2014.
She was given a provincial state funeral and buried in Dutywa.[7]
Her funeral was attended byDeputy PresidentCyril Ramaphosa,Eastern Cape PremierPhumulo Masualle, one of theRivonia Trialists Dr.Andrew Mlangeni,Minister in the PresidencyJeff Radebe,Minister of Science and TechnologyNaledi Pandor,Minister of Defence and Military VeteransNosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and her husband former MinisterCharles Nqakula,Minister of Human Settlements, Water and SanitationLindiwe Sisulu,OR Tambo's sonDali Tambo,Brigalia Bam,Grace Machel,Winnie Mandela,IFP leaderMangosuthu Buthelezi,EFF leaderJulius Malema,Xhosa KingZwelonke Sigcawu, abaThembu KingBuyelekhaya Dalindyebo, Rev.Frank Chikane, ArchbishopNjongonkulu Ndungane, BishopMalusi Mpumlwana, ArchbishopThabo Makgoba, BishopMvume Dandala and other distinguished guests and prominent politicians.
PresidentJacob Zuma never attended due to the health situation but he announced that all flags in the province to be flownhalf-mast as from 7 June until the burial day.
Mbeki won the Community Builder of the Year award (for which she had to go "all the way to Johannesburg"), a NAFCOC founder member award, a Transkei chamber stalwart award, the King Cetshwayo African Image Award, and the Eastern Cape arts and culture award for Khanyisa, given her byArnold Stofile.[4] She was also awarded theOrder of the Baobab in 2006 for her "exceptional contribution to the economic upliftment of the underprivileged communities of the Eastern Cape and her commitment to the fight against apartheid."[8][9] In 2012, she was awarded the degree of Doctor of Lawshonoris causa by theRhodes University.[8]