Gogo Mokoti celebrates her 85th birthday
The elderly women who at her age can still hear, see, and walk without a stick and do home chores, decided to share her birthday with other senior citizens at the centre as she feels they are her second family who she spends almost her time with on daily basis.
Gogo Rachel Mokoti shared her 85th birthday celebration with friends and other senior residents at the Tembisa Society for the Care and Welfare of the Aged, on August 24.
The elderly woman, who can still hear, see, and walk without a stick and do home chores despite her age, decided to share her birthday with other senior citizens at the centre as she feels they are her second family with whom she spends most of her time.
The seniors were served a lunch which was followed by birthday cake and snacks.
In her speech, Gogo Mokoti thanked God for blessing her over the years.
“I am very happy to have reached the age of 85. Not everybody can survive to this age. It is by the grace of God that I am still standing strong and able to help where possible,” added Mokoti.
When asked what her secret was to longevity, Mokoti said she never had many friends and couldn’t just room around the street.
“My parents taught me discipline, respect and morals. I was a child who listened to her parents and respected people on the street. People without self-respect rarely live long,” explains Mokoti.
This mother to three children, a boy and two girls, said the most important thing was never to exchange men – she remained loyal to one partner.
“It is dangerous for a woman to have two or more partners at the same time or to move from one man to another. It is always advisable to abstain for a long time if you have had a failed relationship,” added Mokoti. She encourages women and young people to love themselves and to focus on positive things that will better their lives.
Betty Nkomazana, a care worker at the Tembisa Society for the Care and Welfare of the Aged, described Mokoti as a person who laughs easily and a people’s person.
“Gogo Mokoti is very understanding and easy to work with. She performs her daily exercises (ball passing, light exercises) very well as she can still walk quite fast on our exercise machine,” said Nkomazana.
Tembisa Society for the Care and Welfare of the Aged currently caters for 20 senior residents who cannot take care of themselves properly.
The youngest at the centre is a 69-year-old woman while the oldest is an 87-year-old man.
All these elders stay with their families and only come to the centre on Monday to Friday to be taken care of . They are served breakfast, lunch and snacks. Later, they return to their homes.
