My grandmother Nomalanga and my grandfather Umzikayifani they were married and they were blessed with four children Lungani, Zinhle, Zama (my mom) and Siyabonga. My grandmother’s family lived in rural area of Ngonyameni just outside of Umlazi Township. My grandmother and my grandfather had a vegetable garden, not a small garden but a big garden, such that they ploughed a lot of vegetables and they were packed in boxes to be sold at the market.
My mom was born on 05 October 1976 and my father was born on 21 October 1969. My mom and her siblings after school they had to fetch water in the river and to collect wood and also to take care of the cows and goats. During the weekends they woke up in the morning to fetch water, go ploughing and then do other house chores. My grandfather died when my mom and her siblings were still young. They buried my grandfather at Ngonyameni. After my grandfather’s funeral, my grandmother and her children moved from Ngonyameni to Umlazi Township.
My mom completed school at Egagasini High School. After she completed school, she did a nursing course and she was hired in Medical Towers as a qualified nurse, and between 2006 and 2007 she was transferred to King Edward VIII Hospital. My mom got married to my father Sizwe. My mom and dad are blessed with four children. I’m their firstborn (Slindile) then Sthembile, Akhona and Aphiwe (Akhona and Aphiwe are twins).
On my father’s side I have my grandmother Thokozile and my grandfather George. Unfortunately, my grandfather died when my father was still young. After my grandfather’s funeral, my grandmother and her children moved from Port Shepstone to Illovo. My grandmother and my two uncles still live at Illovo.