Pretoria -“Yippee!! I am very very happy” were the cheerful words Tshwane’s oldest resident, 136-year-old Gogo Johanna Rametsi, exclaimed as she sat in her newly refurbished home.
Rametsi, who is alleged to be one of the oldest living persons in the world, was lavished with blankets, a new bed and myriad of other gifts.
This came as former African Union (AU) chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, former sports and recreation MMC Nozipho Tyobeka-Makeke, members of the ANC Women’s League leadership and self-proclaimed prophet and Incredible Happenings founder Pastor Mboro, also known as Paseka Motsoeneng; paid her a visit at her Hammanskraal home on Friday.
“I am very happy that you have not forgotten me and very grateful for all the things you have done for me,” said Rametsi as she celebrated with the celebrities who filled her bedroom.
She shared jokes and reminisced about how she used to work for white people under the apartheid regime.
Mboro said he was only too happy to assist in the refurbishment of Rametsi’s home after ANC Women’s League representatives approached him for assistance.
“The house was in a poor condition with cracks all over and trees having fallen on the roof.
“There were cockroaches running around everywhere and it smelled badly.”
She told how she had to sleep on “a poor bed balanced on bricks”.
“Many came but they did not help her.
“For me it was an honour to be able to help her in any way that I could.
“But seeing her home in a better condition is a really emotional thing for me,” he said.
Mboro said that although he was disappointed that all the refurbishment had not been completed as yet they were going to ensure everything was completed for her.
Dlamini Zuma said the work they had embarked on in fixing Rametsi’s home was just one part of their call for communities not to rely solely on government representatives to deal with issues plaguing their communities.
“We are there for our people and we want to encourage people to help each other as neighbours.
“You need to know if you can help your next door neighbour if they have no food to eat or of ill health.”
“That is why we are encouraging working hand-in hand with church leaders like Pastor Mboro to help us to help each other,” she said.