GEORGE NEWS - Although Matilda (Tilly) Hoffman recently celebrated her 100th birthday, she is still very active. Hoffman, who lives in Rondebosch in Cape Town, frequently visits her daughter, Glenda Marais, in George.
Shortly after celebrating her 100th birthday at home, she flew to George on her own for the special celebrations her family had organised.
Over the course of 100 years, she has lived through huge changes in society. She was born in Constantia on 31 March 1924 as the youngest of 10 children.
In those days they travelled by wagon and her first experience in a motor vehicle was only at the age of 10. Initially all the roads were gravel roads.
They used candles and lanterns as there was no electricity. She grew up with a different currency and remembers the shillings and pounds.
At their house, which is used as a restaurant nowadays, her father kept pigs and other livestock. She remembers walking over the mountain from Constantia to Hout Bay to buy snoek for a shilling.
In her childhood there was of course no TV and children had to entertain themselves. Yet, despite the challenges, they had a good life. "We were blessed," she says.
She currently lives in a retirement centre in Rondebosch and is in good health and high spirits. She can walk on her own and enjoys visiting family.
She also remembers the love of her parents very well and says her mother taught her from an early age to help other people. "If you see anybody who is poor, you must help."
Hoffman's husband, Christian Daniel, died at the age of 54.
Her oldest daughter, Evelyn Syme, died last year at the age of 77 after a short illness.
Her advice to younger generations is to love one another, be good, and be respectful of their parents.
Hoffman would like to live as long as possible.
She describes her long life to her Christian faith. "God is my strength," she says.
She has five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
* Well-known local businessman Gert Niehaus got to know her recently. "I met her at her 100th celebrations. It was if I knew her for many years. She is an example of a lot of energy and she is full of life."
‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’
