‘Mother Teresa’ of Actonville dies
A much loved member of the Actonville community, Letchimee Chittray Kannigan, died on August 24.
Honey, as she was affectionately known, was born in Port Elizabeth on January 13, 1932, the eldest of six children.
When she was still a child her family moved to Boksburg, to Kalamazoo, where they lived under the Apartheid Group Areas Act until the 1960s.
In the mid-1940s, Honey met her husband, Siga Manival Kannigan.
The couple had seven children, five daughters and two sons.
Honey was employed at Preddy Brothers, a tent manufacturing factory, based in Germiston, from the 1960s till the late 1980s.
She later moved to Actonville.
Her husband, Siga, died in the 1960s.
Honey worked long and hard to raise her children as a single parent.
In the 1970s, she was awarded a flat at Delhi Court.
Honey was a staunch member of the Bethesda Actonville Full Gospel Church.
She played a role in the erection of the church building, which was officially opened in October 1981.
She travelled to Israel, Europe and India.
Residents of Delhi Court will remember Honey as “Mother Teresa”, because of her unwavering efforts to assist and support those in need.
She is survived by her children, Managie Mudra, Saroj Pillai, Damu Jouley, Coopa Kannigan, Tholsa Sankar and Lingie Muthayan.
Honey’s memorial service was held on Thursday, August 27, at the Actonville Full Gospel Church.
