Cape Town – Margaret Maritz is possibly the oldest living person in South Africa and in the Western Cape after celebrating her 118th birthday yesterday at her home at AGS old Age home in Touws River with her daughters, residents, the humanitarian organisation, Gift of the Givers, and others.
It has yet to be confirmed and determined whether Maritz holds the country’s record for being the oldest living person following the death of Johanna Mazibuko who died two months before her 129th birthday last year in March.
Mazibuko was born on May 11, 1894, and lived through three centuries.
Maritz is not far behind and was born on September 27, 1906, in Sutherland in the Northern Cape but has predominantly lived in Breede Valley for most of her life.
She has had 10 children and was married twice and was employed as a domestic worker on farms.
Maritz is fondly known as Ouma Honderd and the town’s First Lady and has lived through two World Wars and two pandemics, the Spanish Flu in 1918. and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Although she suffers from dementia, she is still able to feed herself and is very jovial according to staff at the home.
Gift of the Givers jumped in to make Ouma’s birthday special by providing a gift for each resident, as well as food.
Michael Fortuin, the manager at the Old Age Home, told Weekend Argus that Maritz had been in their care since 2000 and that they had built a relationship with her and her children and grandchildren.
“Ouma is very healthy although she suffers from mild blood pressure and this is controlled with medication,” he said.
“She has dementia but does remember the staff working here at the Old Age home and she remembers their faces.
“This morning at the celebration, she remembered her daughter and called her by name. She asked where is Trei (Katrina Martiz), who is an 80-year-old.
“She has another daughter from Cape Town who was present at the celebration. Ouma has a brother who is in his 80s and lives in Laingsburg.
“She enjoyed her birthday with her children and the residents of the home. She is expected to see her grandchildren over the weekend.
“Her daughter explained this morning at the celebration that her mother used to do domestic work for the farms.
“Ouma still eats on her own and has beautiful skin.”
Ali Sablay, Gift of the Givers project manager, said they were honoured to make Ouma’s birthday memorable and special.
“We are pleased to be part of this milestone and to celebrate one of South Africa’s oldest citizens.
“It was a day of excitement and joy; not only for the birthday girl, but for the residents as well.
“The Old Age home has been severely affected since the Covid-19 pandemic and had faced challenges of closing down over the last two years due to budget cuts and (lack of) financial support.
“Gift of the Givers has not only been supporting, but also runs the biggest feeding schemes in Touws River.
“Although there is not much excitement in the town, on September 27, the whole community celebrated one of its most famous icons in the Western Cape, being the oldest resident alive.
“We have provided each resident with a gift, as well as bulk food supply to the Old Age home (despite) budget cuts.
“There was a request for wheelchairs and we will be supporting them as well. Shoprite has also come on board to sponsor the birthday cake and other luxuries.”
Rashaad Baker, chairperson of Compassionate Hearts, Touws River, who was part of the celebrations, said they were honoured as a community to have a resident attain such an age.
“It was a joyful moment (for her), as well as for the other residents. We kept it small so that it can be intimate,” he explained.
“We wanted the focus to be on ouma and the residents.”
She asked who all of the people were when she saw the photographers.
“We know the family for the past three years and we call her the first lady of Touws River and it is an honour she has earned.
“To our knowledge she is the oldest person in the Western Cape, or even in the country, and they are trying to verify that.
“She blew out her own candles and she is still very strong.”