Two grannies spoiled rotten by grateful grandson

Thendo Netshishivhe, a resident of Vhufuli outside Thohoyandou, recently embarked on a journey to spoil both his grandmothers with a three-day trip to Durban.

Netshishivhe (27) decided to celebrate his birthday on 17 March by taking his two favourite women on vacation: Gogo Nthumeni Masindi (91) and Gogo Tshinakaho Netshishivhe (76). Thendo said his maternal grandmother had always had a dream of flying and constantly spoken to him about that dream.

“I wanted to fulfil her dream, and luckily both my grandmothers had never experienced a flight or been to the beach, so I saw it fit to spoil them while they were still around,” Thendo said. He added that he occasionally spoilt his grandmothers with lunch dates and gifts.

Thendo said his grandmothers had always been there for him during the toughest times of his life. “Growing up was tough for me and my parents. We weren’t financially stable, but we had so much love. Sometimes we’d scavenge for animal farm foods and hunt locusts to make ends meet. But I learned so much during that time and am truly grateful for all the life lessons obtained during that time.” He said his parents were still alive and doing very well in their careers.

“My relationship with my grandmothers is incredibly special. They're like pillars of wisdom and love in my life. I'm lucky to have strong connections with both of my grandmothers. They've taught me so much and continue to inspire me. Our relationship is built on love, laughter, and shared stories.”

Having dedicated most of their lives to their village and family, the trip represented a well-deserved opportunity for Nthumeni and Tshinakaho to indulge in new experiences and create cherished memories with their grandson.

Gogo Nthumeni said she had enjoyed the trip a lot. “It was like a dream come true for us. This was the best gift we have ever received; we are reaping the fruits that we sow; we have raised him well with respect and good manners. We hope God blesses him with longevity like us because our dedication to raising him has yielded results,” she said.

Date:04 May 2024

By: Maanda Bele

Maanda  Bele, born and raised in Nzhelele Siloam, studied journalism at the Tshwane University of Technology.

He is passionate about current news and international affairs.

He worked as part of the Zoutnet team as an intern in 2017.

He is currently a freelance journalist specialising in news from the Vhembe district.

Read: 2399