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Christmas cheer for gran with 21 children

FESTIVE GOODWILL: KwaZulu-Natal first lady Zama Ndebele gives Nomonde Mbambo, centre, a Christmas gift as some of her 21 grandchildren look on. 18/12/08. © Sowetan.
FESTIVE GOODWILL: KwaZulu-Natal first lady Zama Ndebele gives Nomonde Mbambo, centre, a Christmas gift as some of her 21 grandchildren look on. 18/12/08. © Sowetan.

Sne Masuku

Sne Masuku

A 71-year-old granny with 21 grandchildren will have peace of mind this Christmas knowing that they will have a hot and delicious dinner.

This was after good Samaritans clubbed together to make this a reality.

Nomonde Mbambo looks after 21 grandchildren, whose parents are either dead or have left them with her .

Yesterday KwaZulu-Natal first lady Zama Ndebele made a surprise visit to Mbambo's home, carrying gifts, blankets, clothing and food parcels.

An ecstatic Mbambo, who lives in Thembalihle informal settlement, near Pietermaritzburg, with her grandchildren, said: "I depend on my old age pension and the child support grants of three of the kids to support all of them. It is a struggle and without the help of sympathetic people I would not have made it through the years."

RivLife Community Centre in Maritzburg, in partnership with Ndebele and the office of the premier, joined hands after learning about the elderly woman's plight.

RivLife's Mirolyn Naidoo said her organisation would distribute hampers to the value of R60000 to about 180 destitute families.

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