‘World’s oldest woman’ Johanna Mazibuko dies aged 128! Here’s the most surprising fact you should know about her
- Johanna Mazibuko, a woman said to be the world’s oldest person, has died. She was 128 years old
- Although she had her ID documents, she was not formally recognized as the oldest person in the world
- She survived both World Wars and two major pandemics, COVID-19 and the Spanish Flu
The great-grandmother from South Africa who was believed to be the oldest person in the world passed away
RIP! Johanna Mazibuko, a woman said to be the world’s oldest person, has died.
According to local reports, she would have turned 129 this May. Sadly, Johanna took her last breath in her South African residence in Jouberton, North West Province on Friday, March 3.
Similarly, her body was buried on Saturday in Jouberton, Klerksdorp.
Her caretaker and daughter-in-law Thandiwe Wesinyana disclosed to News24 that she died as a result of a stroke.
Thandiwe claims that she had a stroke on February 14 and was taken to the hospital, where she remained until February 28 before being discharged. But three days later, she passed away.
Wesinyana is grieving the loss of her beloved mother-in-law,
“We loved to pray together and spent most of our days drinking tea and talking. I don’t know who I’m going to have fun with anymore. A wound has opened, my heart is sore, and I am shattered. The community is saddened. We’ve all lost a mother”
Although she had her ID documents, she was not formally recognized as the oldest person in the world.
Maria Branyas Morera, a native of the US, is currently listed as the oldest person in the world by Guinness World Records, at age 115.
Morera was given the honor after the 118-year-old French nun Sister André passed away earlier in 2023.
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Johanna Mazibuko: Background, Early Life
Johanna was born on May 11, 1894, according to her ID documents. Her close ones claimed that she grew up on a maize farm and never went to school and could not read or write.
Mazibuko was one of twelve siblings, three of whom are still alive. She lived through the British monarchy of Queen Victoria, the Wright brothers’ historic journey, and the first Russian revolution.
She also survived both World Wars and two major pandemics, COVID-19 and the Spanish Flu.
Mazibuko died ten months after celebrating her 128th birthday
In May 2022, Mazibuko celebrated her 128th birthday which is featured by News24. She exclaimed in an interview how ‘amazed’ she was to still be living.
She expressed at the time,
“I am amazed at why I am still here after so many years. Why am I still here? People around me have been dying,”
“When will I die? What’s the point of being alive? The world has tired me because I am just sitting here doing nothing,”
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Additionally, she shared some of her early memories, revealing,
“We lived so well on the farms. There were no problems then. I can’t remember my childhood well but I do remember a locust infestation.”
“There were ones we could catch and eat. It was like you are eating meat. We would just fry them and eat the like that just on their own”
“I grew up healthy eating mostly fresh milk and wild spinach. Now I eat modern food. I am used to it but I miss the food I grew up on”
Was Johanna Mazibuko married?
Johanna was married to an older widower Stawana Mazibuko, with whom she shared seven children. After the passing of his first wife, Stawana wed her.
She couldn’t recall the precise day of their wedding, but she said Stawana owned cows and she would produce butter.
They had seven children together, two of whom are still alive, and have over 50 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
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