GQEBERHA – At 100, Mona Kukkuk can look back on a life filled with work, travel, independence and adventure.

A resident of Park Drive Retirement Village for the past four years, Kukkuk celebrated her 100th birthday on 16 September.

The village is home to 127 residents, with a frail care unit accommodating 10 residents who need extra care. The ages of residents range from 55 to 100.

Born on 16 September 1926 on the farm “De Hoek” in the Kariega district, Kukkuk has lived through profound changes and travelled extensively across three continents.

For Mona, reaching 100 means becoming a centenarian while remaining in good health. She has always kept herself busy and believes staying active has helped her maintain her independence.

A childhood in Kariega shaped her early years

“My earliest childhood memory was my first day at school when my teacher, McGuinness, picked me up from my desk in front of the whole class,” Kukkuk said.

She attended Jordan Primary School, which was in Kariega in those years, followed by Innis Primary School. She later attended Brandwag High School and continued her studies privately after completing school.

Kukkuk worked for several years in Gqeberha as a shorthand typist before leaving for London, and later also worked in France.

She said she felt she had to make a success of every role she took on, and that determination helped her through difficult times.

Travelling was one of the happiest parts of Kukkuk’s life. Her journeys began with her mother and siblings across South Africa before she later travelled extensively while working for Sabena, the Belgian national airline.

A lifetime of travel and adventure

She also visited Austria, North and South America and the Far East, experiences she remembers fondly.

Kukkuk encourages young people to start saving and investing small amounts of money from an early age, as those habits can grow over a lifetime.

“The best advice to young people today is to focus on learning and building strong financial habits,” she said.

Linda Van der Merwe, the manager of Park Drive Village, described Mona as a very straightforward person.

“She is a loving and friendly lady who is very independent and does her own cooking and shopping,” said Linda.

Speaking to PE Express, Kukkuk said she wants to be remembered as a friendly and helpful person who showed kindness without judgement.

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