Mnisi patriarch commemorates his 100th birthday with loved ones
To celebrate your 100th birthday is a milestone and to be able to do so in the presence of your loved ones is a blessing.
Mgabani Hans Mnisi recently enjoyed birthday celebrations with his son and daughter, six grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren at his home in Extension 6.
Mnisi was born on November 24, 1920 in Badfontein. He worked on a farm and then for the Transvaal Provincial Administration for years. He was an acoustic guitar player and a lead singer of the Mnisi family band.
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He is one of the men who built the bridges in Lydenburg to Bambi and to Burgersfort before the roads were tarred during the ’40s and ’70s. He has been married to Martha “Kgole” Mnisi (80) for 60 years and together they had six children – four girls and two boys.
Speaking to Steelburger/Lydenburg News he remembered how being black was extremely difficult during their youth.
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“We did not have freedom of movement. If you were to move from one farm to the other, or travel to town, the farm owner had to make a permit that allowed you to either go to town, to shop or to visit any farm. Should the police find you walking on the road without a permit, you were detained for a period of one month in custody or had to pay a R20 fine, which was a lot of money,” he said.
His family feel proud and blessed to still have him around to share hugs, kisses and lots of joyous moments with him. Mgabani has been described as a pillar of strength by his family and the only one who knows how to make them all come together.
Even at his 100th birthday celebration he still had the ability to unite people and make them talk about motivational and uplifting things.
Mgabani was all smiles throughout the day as he saw people coming in numbers to wish him many more years.
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“We as a family are truly blessed to have him in our lives and I hope we can walk many more years with him. “He has been everything to us, this day will stay in our hearts for many years to come,” said his son, Willy Sibusiso Mnisi.
At this age he does not suffer from any illness, he does not take any chronic medication or any other medication. He is healthy, walks without a stick, and can see and hear. He is grateful to the Almighty God for keeping him healthy for more than a century.
