Mother of all birthdays for South Africa's special twin who survived the operation that separated her from her sister,Mphonyana, writes Victor Mecoamere

Mpho Mathibela, the surviving sister of South Africa's famous conjoined twins, will celebrate her 21st birthday this December.

Mpho Mathibela, the surviving sister of South Africa's famous conjoined twins, will celebrate her 21st birthday this December.

The twins from Klerksdorp in North West - who were joined by their heads - gripped the imaginations of South Africans, and tugged at the nation's heartstrings.

Thousands of people across the country prayed and crossed their fingers for the operation in 1989 to separate Mpho and Mphonyana to be successful.

Sadly, Mphonyana passed away in 1990. But Mpho thrived and she is still full of beans.

Maggie Nkwe, one of the prominent leaders who prayed, fund-raised and made tremendous efforts to help keep Mpho alive, healthy and in the public eye said: "We are going to throw the mother of all 21st birthday celebrations."

Nkwe is leading the very special birthday's organising committee, together with Madimabe Dodovu, the equally energetic wife of the mayor of Matlosana, China Dodovu.

An excited Nkwe said: "We are starting with a prayer service on December 6 at 12pm."

She was speaking at an organising committee meeting in the Matlosana mayoral chambers conference room at the weekend.

"Then on the morning of December 7, we will have a prayer service at the grave side of Mphonyana. On the same evening, we will have a fitting banquet for Mpho.

"On December 8, we will celebrate with several hundred disabled, orphaned and other vulnerable children at the local Brazil soccer stadium in Joubertina. The birthday festivities will kick off at 10am," Nkwe said.

Sowetan and the Aggrey Klaaste Nation Building Foundation are fully behind the birthday celebrations.

Through the newspaper's corporate social responsibility mascot, Mama Angel, we have already helped to dress Mpho for her special day. We have given the birthday girl R5000 and will spend another R5000 on the histori birthday of a very special young lady.

The organising committee wants to make the day unforgettable for Mpho and many other disadvantaged children.

So, on behalf of all the residents of Matlosana, Nkwe, Dodovu and all the members of the organising committee we are inviting all individuals, groups, companies and organisations who supported and prayed for Mpho and Mphonyana to the birthday banquet.

For any further details and other information, people are welcome to telephone either Nkwe on her landline 018-464-3616 or her cellphone on 083-642-4326 or Vivienne Lebeko on 072-019-3471.