By Thomo Nkgadima—hardworking, full of wisdom, and still thriving at 115.
A Limpopo centenarian is no ordinary village granny.
115-year-old Nompilo Maleka from Driekop village, outside Burgersfort, still wakes up early every morning to clean and cook. “It keeps me young,” she says.
Maleka credits hard work and a diet of fruits and vegetables for her long life. Each morning, the inspirational mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother makes her bed, washes dishes, and prepares meals.
“Cooking runs in the family,” she says. The centenarian uses her own secret recipes to make mouth-watering, delicious meals. “My work keeps me young and fights chronic illness. Eating veggies and fruits keeps me fit.”
“I have witnessed World War 1 and 2. I’ve seen many people die of polio, HIV, malaria and Covid-19 — and now, thanks be to God, those diseases can be managed and treated,” she explained.
Her favourite food is brown mabele pap, sugar beans, and indigenous morogo. She loves milk and Appletiser, and enjoys oranges, mangoes and grapes.
Mother to 10 children, grandmother to 55, and great-grandmother to 110, Maleka told us she is “healthy like a racing horse” and takes no chronic medication for high blood or diabetes. Each morning she prays for God’s mercy and grace, then continues with her house chores.
General practitioner Dr Robert Sehulong Moraba says supercentenarians aren’t just biology. “Those rare folks who live to 110 and beyond have genes that help dodge age-related diseases, a balanced gut microbiome, and habits like staying active, eating mostly plants, and managing stress. But many also share an upbeat outlook and deep connections with family and community. Extreme longevity looks less like one ‘secret’ and more like whole-life harmony — where body, mind, and relationships all get a vote.”
