Epainette Mbeki
politician
- February 16, 1916 · Mount Fletcher
- June 7, 2014 · East London
- 98 years
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Epainette Mbeki, 98, South African anti-apartheid activist.
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Full Biography
|Nomaka Epainette Mbeki (née Moerane; 16 February 1916 – 7 June 2014), commonly known as "MaMbeki", a stalwart community activist and promoter of women's development, mother of former President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki. and widow of political activist and Rivonia trialist, Dr. Govan Mbeki. She lived in Ngcingwane, a rural hamlet near Dutywa, one of South Africa's poorest municipalities. She was known for her auspicious relatives and, more importantly to her, her endeavours to improve the residents' quality of life. Gillian Rennie, in an award-winning profile, quoted a co-worker as saying, "She is not like other retired people, getting a pension and saying, 'Let me play golf and fish a bit.' The old lady is a humble person."
Life
She was a member of the Bafokeng, specifically the Mahoona clan – traditional healers who are one of the first agro-pastoralists to arrive in Lesotho. Born at Mount Fletcher in the Drakensberg, she grew up in humble environs, the sixth of seven children born to Eleazar Jakane Moerane and his wife Sofi Majara, whose grandparents were disciples of Moshoeshoe I and were among the first Basotho converts to Christianity. Her parents were African landowners and members of the Paris Evangelical Missionary Society Church. Most of their abundant arable land and livestock, however, had disappeared by the 1990s, owing largely to the apartheid government's Homelands policy. Early every morning before school, she would chase birds from her father's sorghum fields before returning after school for further bird-chasing. She was educated at Lovedale School before qualifying as a teacher at Adams College, Amanzimtoti near Durban.
Community work
Mbeki was the brains behind the Khanyisa beadwork project, which has sustained the art of traditional African beadwork and provided livelihoods for 24 Ngcingwanean women. She was involved with the Linda Mbeki Hospice, which operates from the former Mbeki home in Mbewuleni, and was founded to commemorate the life of her daughter, who died in 2003. Mbeki also established the Nomaka Mbeki Technical Senior Secondary School and owned the Goodwill Trading Store, whose cash-counting and bookkeeping she did herself.
Sesotho-speaking and traditionalist, Mbeki placed great importance on education. Although it has been suggested, not least by Arnold Stofile (to whom Mbeki gave her religion), that she venture into politics, she has never been especially enamoured with the idea. "I wouldn't do as a member of parliament. You have to live with the people; you have to move among the people, to know their conditions [...]. Premier Makhenkesi says, 'I think you should belong to my government.' I say, 'No, that's not proper because, when I get there, I'll be as dull as you people.'" Her son, Thabo, attributed much of his political success to the wisdom of his mother, but she disagreed: "I wouldn't call it wisdom; it's an attitude, the attitude of self-last. He should forget about the ego and listen to the next man. That's really what he must do. I think he has managed; I think he has managed."
Death and funeral
Mbeki died in East London at Frere Hospital in June 2014.
She was given a provincial state funeral and buried in Dutywa.
Her funeral was attended by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, Eastern Cape Premier Phumulo Masualle, one of the Rivonia Trialists Dr. Andrew Mlangeni, Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe, Minister of Science and Technology Naledi Pandor, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and her husband former Minister Charles Nqakula, Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Lindiwe Sisulu, OR Tambo's son Dali Tambo, Brigalia Bam, Grace Machel, Winnie Mandela, IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi, EFF leader Julius Malema, Xhosa King Zwelonke Sigcawu, abaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, Rev. Frank Chikane, Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane, Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, Bishop Mvume Dandala and other distinguished guests and prominent politicians.
President Jacob Zuma never attended due to the health situation but he announced that all flags in the province to be flown half-mast as from 7 June until the burial day.
Awards and recognition
Mbeki won the Community Builder of the Year award (for which she had to go "all the way to Johannesburg"), a NAFCOC founder member award, a Transkei chamber stalwart award, the King Cetshwayo African Image Award, and the Eastern Cape arts and culture award for Khanyisa, given her by Arnold Stofile. She was also awarded the Order of the Baobab in 2006 for her "exceptional contribution to the economic upliftment of the underprivileged communities of the Eastern Cape and her commitment to the fight against apartheid." In 2012, she was awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws honoris causa by the Rhodes University.
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epainette_Mbeki
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- September 30, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Epainette Mbeki's archived record and the sources above.
1.What was the birth name of Epainette Mbeki?
- A.Nomaka Epainette Rennie
- B.Nomaka Epainette Govan
- C.Nomaka Epainette Dutywa
- D.Nomaka Epainette Moeranecorrect
Nomaka Epainette Mbeki was born with the maiden name Moerane.
Source: biography introduction
2.On what date was Epainette Mbeki born?
- A.16 February 1914
- B.7 June 1916
- C.7 June 2014
- D.16 February 1916correct
The biography states that Epainette Mbeki was born on 16 February 1916.
Source: biography introduction
3.When did Epainette Mbeki pass away?
- A.16 February 2014
- B.16 February 2016
- C.7 June 2014correct
- D.7 June 2016
Epainette Mbeki passed away on 7 June 2014.
Source: biography introduction
4.Who was the son of Epainette Mbeki?
- A.Thabo Mbekicorrect
- B.Gillian Rennie
- C.Dutywa Mbeki
- D.Govan Mbeki
Epainette Mbeki was the mother of former South African President Thabo Mbeki.
Source: biography introduction
5.Who was the husband of Epainette Mbeki?
- A.Gillian Rennie
- B.Thabo Mbeki
- C.None of these
- D.Govan Mbekicorrect
Epainette Mbeki was the widow of the political activist and Rivonia trialist, Dr. Govan Mbeki.
Source: biography introduction
6.By what common nickname was Epainette Mbeki known?
- A.Govan Granny
- B.Nomaka Rural
- C.MaMbekicorrect
- D.Mama Dutywa
Epainette Mbeki was commonly known by the nickname MaMbeki.
Source: biography introduction
7.In which location did Epainette Mbeki reside during her later life?
- A.Johannesburg
- B.Cape Town
- C.Pretoria
- D.Ngcingwanecorrect
Epainette Mbeki lived in Ngcingwane, a rural hamlet near Dutywa.
Source: biography introduction
8.Which specific political event was Epainette Mbeki's husband associated with?
- A.The Dutywa Uprising
- B.The South African Presidential Election
- C.The Women's Development March
- D.The Rivonia trialcorrect
Epainette Mbeki's husband, Dr. Govan Mbeki, was a Rivonia trialist.
Source: biography introduction
9.How did Epainette Mbeki prioritize her time in Ngcingwane?
- A.Playing golf
- B.Fishing in local streams
- C.Drafting political memoirs
- D.Improving the residents' quality of lifecorrect
Epainette Mbeki was noted for her endeavours to improve the residents' quality of life in Ngcingwane.
Source: biography introduction
10.What is the description of the municipality near where Epainette Mbeki lived?
- A.One of South Africa's poorest municipalitiescorrect
- B.A newly industrialised urban center
- C.One of South Africa's wealthiest districts
- D.A coastal tourist destination
Epainette Mbeki lived near Dutywa, which is described as one of South Africa's poorest municipalities.
Source: biography introduction
11.Who authored the profile about Epainette Mbeki?
- A.Gillian Renniecorrect
- B.Thabo Mbeki
- C.Govan Mbeki
- D.Nomaka Moerane
The profile of Epainette Mbeki was written by Gillian Rennie.
Source: biography introduction
12.What is mentioned as a characteristic of Epainette Mbeki’s personality?
- A.Indifferent
- B.Arrogant
- C.Humblecorrect
- D.Sport-oriented
A co-worker described Epainette Mbeki as a humble person.
Source: biography introduction
13.What activities did Epainette Mbeki avoid, according to her co-worker?
- A.Politics and activism
- B.Writing and speaking
- C.Teaching and farming
- D.Golf and fishingcorrect
A co-worker noted Epainette Mbeki did not spend her retirement playing golf or fishing.
Source: biography introduction
14.What were the two primary roles attributed to Epainette Mbeki in the biography?
- A.Community activist and promoter of women's developmentcorrect
- B.Teacher and rural administrator
- C.Golf champion and activist
- D.Politician and author
Epainette Mbeki was a stalwart community activist and promoter of women's development.
Source: biography introduction
15.What was true regarding Epainette Mbeki's family?
- A.Her father was a politician
- B.She had no children
- C.She had auspicious relativescorrect
- D.She was born into a wealthy family
Epainette Mbeki was known for her auspicious relatives.
Source: biography introduction
16.What was the status of the profile written about Epainette Mbeki?
- A.It was a posthumous biography
- B.It was a fictional account
- C.It was an award-winning profilecorrect
- D.It was written by her husband
The profile detailing Epainette Mbeki's life was described as an award-winning piece.
Source: biography introduction
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