The “oldest person in the world” dies in South Africa at the age of 128

A woman believed to be the oldest living person has died in South Africa aged 128.

Mother of seven Johanna Mazibuko died on March 3 at her home in Jouberton in the country’s North West province. She would have been 129 in May, local media reports.

Thandiwe Wesinyana, her caregiver and daughter-in-law, told News24 that a stroke may have been the cause of death.

The entire community “lost a mother,” she told the outlet.

“We loved praying together and spent most of our time drinking tea and talking,” she said.

“I don’t know who else to have fun with.

“A wound has opened, my heart is raw and I am shaken. The community is sad. We’ve all lost a mother.”

According to her family, Johanna grew up on a corn farm in South Africa, but never went to school and could neither read nor write.

Although she was never officially confirmed as the world’s oldest woman by Guinness World Records, there are documents stating that she was born in 1894.

Since then she has lived three centuries, witnessing British colonialism, apartheid and two world wars.

She celebrated her 128th birthday on May 11, 2022 and said the secret to her advanced age was a diet of wild spinach and fresh milk.

On her recent birthday, she told News24: “I’m amazed why I’m still here after so many years. Why am I still here? People around me died.

‘When will I die? What is the meaning of life? The world has made me tired of just sitting here doing nothing,” she added.

The eldest of 12 children, three of whom are living, Johanna has 7 children, two of whom survived, and over 50 grandchildren.

Her death is mourned across South Africa.

Reminiscing about her childhood, Johanna said: “We lived so well on the farms. At that time there were no problems. I don’t remember my childhood very well, but I do remember a plague of locusts.

“There were some we could catch and eat. It was like eating meat. We would just fry them and eat something like that by ourselves.

“I grew up healthy and ate mostly fresh milk and wild spinach. Now I eat modern food. I’m used to it but I miss the food I grew up with.

She later married an elderly widower named Stawana Mazibuko after his first wife died, but cannot remember exactly when.

“This man treated me very well and made me forget my life before him. I didn’t miss anything.’

After her marriage, Johanna earned her living doing chores for farm owners and worked for years.

As she grew older, she hired Thandiwe Wesinyana as a caretaker.

The two have been living together since 2001 and have become firm friends.

Thandiwe said, “I can’t sleep unless I’m next to her. When I come back she will also say that she couldn’t sleep. She says she just sits by the window looking at the gate and wondering when I’ll be back.’

Johanna’s wider community in South Africa has been trying to find a way for the eldest to be officially recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records.

The village prophetess, OJ Madikong, is among those who have attempted to tell her story.

He previously told News24: “I think Mazibuko could have been in the Guinness Book of World Records long ago. The whole world would know, but we know it’s never too late.

“As long as we as people in Africa know there is a person like that, we’re glad there’s someone who’s 128, whether they’re trying to hide them or what, but we know they exist.”

The oldest living person in the world, according to Guinness, is US-born Maria Branyas Morera, who is currently 115 years old.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, Visit our news page.