Mdantsane’s 117-year-old Boniswa Paulina Jevu may soon be recognised internationally as the oldest living person on the African continent in the Guinness Book of Records.
Newly-appointed MEC for social development Phumza Dyantyi visited the supercentenarian’s home bearing gifts – a birthday cake, a fruit basket, a paraffin heater and a fur blanket.
Jevu was born in Tsolo on May 14 1901, and appears to run a close second to the oldest person alive, according to the US-based Gerontology Research Group.
On its website, it records a Japanese woman, Chiyo Miyako, as the world’s oldest living person. Miyako lives south of Tokyo in Kanagawa prefecture, and turned 117 on May 2.
Dyantyi said the department would “try by all means to have Jevu recorded . . . in the book”.
“We don’t know of anyone else in South Africa that is at this age. This is history for our province and the country and we feel that it deserves worldwide recognition.”
In Monday’s Daily Dispatch, it was reported that Jevu still has identification documents – the infamous dompas, a Ciskei homeland ID and a green barcoded ID. All record her birth date as May 14 1901.
An aura of excitement and festivity filled the home she shares with her daughter Ntomboxolo and her greatgranddaughter, as birthday celebrations were held in her honour.
Jevu was sitting in the electric wheelchair she was gifted by Buffalo City mayor Xola Pakati.
Dyantyi said she felt compelled to celebrate Jevu’s life after reading about her in the Daily Dispatch.
She also promised to get a ramp installed at the family’s home for Jevu’s wheelchair.
An emotional Jevu said she was grateful for the visit.
“Thank you very much my children. I am about to depart, God has told me so. Our house gets very cold at night but you have made it warm with the heater and the blanket,” she said.
Plan to make gran world record holder
Newly-appointed MEC for social development Phumza Dyantyi visited the supercentenarian’s home bearing gifts – a birthday cake, a fruit basket, a paraffin heater and a fur blanket.
Jevu was born in Tsolo on May 14 1901, and appears to run a close second to the oldest person alive, according to the US-based Gerontology Research Group.
On its website, it records a Japanese woman, Chiyo Miyako, as the world’s oldest living person. Miyako lives south of Tokyo in Kanagawa prefecture, and turned 117 on May 2.
Dyantyi said the department would “try by all means to have Jevu recorded . . . in the book”.
“We don’t know of anyone else in South Africa that is at this age. This is history for our province and the country and we feel that it deserves worldwide recognition.”
In Monday’s Daily Dispatch, it was reported that Jevu still has identification documents – the infamous dompas, a Ciskei homeland ID and a green barcoded ID. All record her birth date as May 14 1901.
An aura of excitement and festivity filled the home she shares with her daughter Ntomboxolo and her greatgranddaughter, as birthday celebrations were held in her honour.
Jevu was sitting in the electric wheelchair she was gifted by Buffalo City mayor Xola Pakati.
Dyantyi said she felt compelled to celebrate Jevu’s life after reading about her in the Daily Dispatch.
She also promised to get a ramp installed at the family’s home for Jevu’s wheelchair.
An emotional Jevu said she was grateful for the visit.
“Thank you very much my children. I am about to depart, God has told me so. Our house gets very cold at night but you have made it warm with the heater and the blanket,” she said.
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