Polygamist wives grow old together
Two elderly women celebrate the love they have for their late husband.
SHARING a husband is not easy for most women, but two grannies from Hammarsdale are still best friends even though their husband died in 1976.
On Sunday, 9 August, the Ngubane family threw a thanksgiving party for their pillars of strength – Fakazile Ngubane (102) and Babongile Ngubane (93).
The two phenomenal women live next door to each other in Hammarsdale, Unit 6.
Fakazile, who was the first wife, said she did not object when her husband, Phangindawo Ngubane, asked her if he could take a second wife.
“I agreed because I respected and loved my husband. We were once separated for some years after wars in the area where we used to live, but we were united in the early nineties and built our houses next to each other.
“In any polygamous marriage there will always be issues, but we learnt to discuss and solve them. We are living in harmony,” said Fakazile.
Babongile said she know about Fakazile but also agreed to marry Phangindawo because she loved him. I did not mind that he had another wife and he both treated us with respect.”
The Ngubane family is a big one: Fakazile has 10 children and Babongile gave birth to eight children.
They have 151 grandchildren and great grandchildren in total.
One of their grandchildren, Mxolisi Ngubane, said their aim was to celebrated the life of the two women as it was Women’s Day.
“We also wanted to unite the families as we are scattered all over after the war that broke out. The love the two women have for each other is heartwarming and binds us as a family,” he said.
