Noni Makhetha's inspiring tips for living to 100: Live healthily and save money!

Watch Noni's video here

Noni Albina Makhetha was born in 1923 and celebrated her 100th birthday in March this year, with an intimate family gathering.

Invest your money and maintain good health

Noni has lived an absolutely inspiring life, obtaining an education, raising her family and running businesses of her own, despite the challenging context that living through South Africa's Apartheid regime (1948 to 1994) posed.

There is no disputing that Noni's life has been deeply impacted by the violence, human rights abuses and traumas that resulted from these years.

Yet her courage and tenacity are apparent in the way in which she persevered to make a success of her life, and to raise children who feel very privilege to have her with them to this day.

She is the matriarch of the family and the epitome of grace, strength and courage.

"Two things my mom has always advised people on are the importance of investing your money and maintaining good health," says Maureen Makhetha - Noni's 71-year-old daughter.

Noni lives with her daughters between their homes in Soweto and Weltevreden Park in Johannesburg. She also enjoys spending time with her 10 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

"My mom invested in unit trusts and taught us how to be money savvy"

Noni was born in Rietfontein in Pretoria, and grew up in Payneville, in Springs in the Gauteng Province.

Noni married her beloved husband Bernard Mosehlane Makhetha in Soweto in her twenties, and they had four children - two daughters and two sons (who have passed away). Bernard also passed away in 1984.

Noni studied at a teachers training college after school, and after teaching for three years, worked at a coffee factory and then for a clothing manufacturer.

It wasn't long before Noni put her true passion into practice - entrepreneurship. She and Bernard ran a general dealer store and later a butchery before she went into commercial property development and rentals, which to this day provide her with an income.

"My three siblings and I helped our parents in their shop every day after school - it was a family business and we learned the value of work and of team work as a family. And, my mom invested in unit trusts and taught us how to be money savvy," says Maureen. "Her absolute emphasis on saving and investing is part of our family's DNA to this day!"

"My mom has always believed that if you maintain a healthy lifestyle, you will live longer and stay strong," says Maureen. "She grew her own vegetables and always cooked healthy food for us. When my daughter Refiloe was a teenager, my mom helped to treat her anaemia by guiding her to eat iron-rich foods like spinach, livers and beetroot. She knew exactly which foods would sort her out."

Maureen recalls how her mom would work in the garden at 05:00 in the morning, before the rest of the family had woken up.

"My mom would also do exercises in her bedroom each morning to stay fit and healthy."

Noni's healthy lifestyle has paid off. The only condition she lives with is high blood pressure, which was diagnosed when she was 95.

These days Noni enjoys peace and quiet and time with her family.

When asked what she enjoys eating the most, Noni replies: "Cabbage and potatoes."

Noni says her favourite thing to do is gardening, planting both vegetables and flowers.

Noni also prays daily and has always used prayer to deal with any difficulties in her life. "If something upsets my mom, she will pray," says Maureen. "She has always been a pray-er."

Maureen says it's a "great feeling" to still have her mom around. "I still get wisdom from her."

Noni is one of 90 centenarian Discovery Health Medical Scheme members (data to end April 2023). An investigation into trends within this group by the Health Intelligence team at Discovery Health, reveals fascinating insights into just how healthy people can be in their golden years. Most centenarian Scheme members are women. However the men in the group are healthier than the women. When it comes to chronic illnesses, cancer, COVID-19, hospital admissions and more, this group defies the odds!