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News24
2 hours ago
- News24
100 not out! These 3 SA grannies celebrated a century of birthdays
The families of three grandmothers wanted to celebrate their centenarian matriarchs this week. Ouma Lydia de Kock from Cradock, granny Amy Canham from Port St Johns and Johanna Marais all blew out their candles in June and July. Some of their best advice for life includes remaining eager to learn, drinking tea and this sagest of quotes: 'mind your own business'. They've lived through a world war, a global pandemic, the rise and fall of apartheid and the macarena. Over the past few weeks, News24 received three separate emails from three different families celebrating their grandmothers who can all call themselves centenarians. Ouma Lydia de Kock from Cradock and granny Amy Canham from Port St Johns both turned 100, while Johanna Marais from Cape Town turned the ripe old age of 105 not out. Beautiful letters were sent this week honouring their beloved, and we share them below. An English girl turned Stellenbosch farm wife Ouma Lydia de Kock from Cradock, met her husband Frikkie le Roux in the 1940s at Stellenbosch University where she obtained a BA degree and he a BCom degree. Supplied They married directly after her studies and settled on the family farm Vlakkenheuwel in the Hermon/Riebeek Kasteel district, where this English village girl emerged as a successful farmer's wife. She and Grandpa Frikkie were married for 65 years at the time of his death at 92, and have three children, six grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. She was actively involved in community initiatives such as the VLV and as chairperson of the Leeskring until her 80s. She is a sports enthusiast and never misses a rugby or cricket match on television. She also enjoys watching golf and the Tour de France and knows the names of most of the great sportsmen. Grandma Lydia is in brilliant health and still quite mobile – although she has to do it stealthily if she wants to move around her room herself – and her memory is better than that of her children, who are all in their seventies. We believe the secret to grandma's longevity and clarity of mind is the fact that she has always been curious and eager to learn – her brain has not retired. And oh yes, she enjoys a glass of wine during family visits to the farm! Drinking tea and 'minding your own business' This June, our beloved granny Amy Canham celebrated her 100th birthday, a milestone few reach, and even fewer do with the grace, humour, and wisdom that she carries so effortlessly. Born in Port St Johns, Eastern Cape in 1925, she grew up during a time of great difficulty in South Africa, but she met each challenge with quiet resilience. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she raised three of her children and helped raise generations after, always with love, patience, and strong values. Her life was one of service, to her family, community, and faith. She worked hard on her farm, believes in simplicity, and always welcomed others with open arms and a warm meal. She lived through world wars, apartheid, the birth of democracy and Covid-19, always keeping her dignity and kindness intact. She has seen it all, from fetching water in buckets to seeing Facebook posts and wondering 'How did you find out about that?'... to video calls with her great-grandchildren, even those who live in New Zealand. When asked how she made it to 100, she smiled and shared her simple recipe for a long life: 'Drink tea, stay active, and mind your own business.' She adds with a laugh, 'Also, never stop learning and always keep a little sweet for later.' Her 100th birthday was a beautiful gathering of family and friends, with laughter, stories, and even a few tears. Letters and messages poured in, a reminder of just how deeply she has touched lives. We honour you, granny - for every lesson, every hug, and every prayer. Happy 100th birthday gran. A visit from Cape Town's first citizen Originally published on and sent to News24, Johanna Marais received a special visit from Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis last week at Panorama Palms for her 105th birthday. Her entry read a little something like this: After matriculating at Charlie Hofmeyer in Ceres, she qualified as a nurse. She then had a career in banking for more than 30 years and worked at Barclays Bank (now FNB) in Strand Street in Cape Town until her retirement as a senior supervisor. Supplied She has been a resident of Panorama Palms since May 1999. She lived independently in one of the apartments until December 2010 until her first stroke. After a follow-up stroke in 2019, she went to the weakened care facility and made use of a wheelchair. With a chair gym she regained the use of her arms after the stroke. She enjoys watching rugby and athletics and loves gospel music. Her favourite dish is water cauliflower stew. She is much loved among the staff of Panorama Palms. Once again, Congratulations!
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Major city risks becoming the first modern capital to run out of water, NGO warns
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The city of Kabul in Afghanistan is at risk of becoming the first modern capital to run out of water, according to a recent report. Kabul is drying up due to a combination of different factors, including climate change, poor water resource management, rapid urbanization and a swelling population that stands at roughly 5 to 6 million people. Mercy Corps, a humanitarian NGO, published a report in April that found Kabul's water crisis has reached a tipping point, with aquifers draining faster than they can be replenished, as well as issues surrounding water affordability, contamination and infrastructure. In June, one Kabul resident told The Guardian that there isn't any good quality well water available, while last week, another resident told CNN that they didn't know how their family would survive if things got worse. Kabul's water problem isn't new and has been growing steadily worse for decades. The report highlighted that it had been exacerbated by the decline in humanitarian funding for Afghanistan since August 2021 — when the Taliban returned to power as U.S. and allied forces withdrew from the country. "Without large-scale changes to Kabul's water management dynamics, the city faces an unprecedented humanitarian disaster within the coming decade, and likely much sooner," Mercy Corps representatives wrote in the conclusion of the report. Related: 'An existential threat affecting billions': Three-quarters of Earth's land became permanently drier in last 3 decades The new report draws on previous work by the United Nations (U.N.), which has found that Kabul's groundwater is at risk of running out by 2030, with around half of the boreholes in Kabul Province already dry. Currently, each year, extraction exceeds natural replenishment by about 1.5 billion cubic feet (44 million cubic meters), according to the report. Mohammed Mahmoud, a water security expert who was not involved in the report, told Live Science that Kabul is clearly in the midst of a worsening water crisis. "The fact that water extraction now exceeds natural recharge by tens of millions of cubic meters each year, and that up to half of the city's groundwater wells have already dried up, is an indication of a system in collapse," Mahmoud said in an email. Mahmoud is the chief executive officer of the Climate and Water Initiative NGO, and the lead for Middle East climate and water policy at the U.N. University's Institute of Water, Environment, and Health. He described the report's findings as "quite alarming" and noted that he was also concerned by the steep drop in Kabul's water table and the growing number of residents forced to spend a significant share of their income on accessing water. Mercy Corps reported that Kabul's aquifer levels have dropped by around 100 feet (30 m) within the last decade and that some households are spending up to 30% of their income just on water. "This is not just an environmental issue, it is a public health emergency, a livelihood crisis, and a looming trigger for potential large-scale human displacement," Mahmoud said. A global problem Water shortage is a global problem affecting many different regions. Water resources have been stretched in recent decades, with environmental factors like climate change increasing the frequency and severity of droughts, and human factors like population growth increasing water demand. A 2016 study published in the journal Scientific Reports found that between the 1900s and the 2000s, the number of people facing water scarcity increased from 240 million to 3.8 billion, or from 14% to 58% of the global population. Areas at particularly high risk of shortages include North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. "What is happening in Kabul reflects a broader trend we're seeing across water-stressed regions globally, especially in the Middle East and North Africa," Mahmoud said. "Groundwater overuse is rampant in many parts of the region, leading to groundwater recharge rates not keeping up with aquifer extraction. Climate change is also reducing and shifting rainfall patterns, further limiting freshwater generation and groundwater recharge, while increasing the frequency and severity of droughts." The new report highlighted that Kabul is on the brink of becoming the first modern capital to run out of water, but it isn't the first major city to face such an existential water-related threat, and based on current trends, it won't be the last. RELATED STORIES —Mexico City could be just months away from running out of drinking water —The worst droughts in US history —Amazon's 'flying rivers' of vapor are drying up in an unprecedented drought. Here's how to save them. In 2018, Cape Town — the legislative capital of South Africa — nearly ran out of water during a drought, and only narrowly avoided having to turn off the taps thanks to tight water restrictions and a water-saving campaign. The situation was even worse for India's city of Chennai in 2019, when all four of its major reservoirs dried up, severely limiting water supplies and plunging the city into crisis. Mahmoud noted that water shortages have severe socioeconomic impacts, affecting agricultural and food security, increasing living costs and, in extreme cases, causing mass migration and displacement of people. "We need stronger investment in sustainable water management, robust water infrastructure, and better governance to begin to address issues of water shortages," Mahmoud said.
News24
19 hours ago
- News24
Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan dies aged 71
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