105 granny suing province for pension

"I want my husband's money so my children can buy a big, beautiful tombstone for me."

These are the words of a 105-year-old great-grandmother, Christine Makua, who has been embroiled in a 26-year battle with a provincial Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport over its failure to pay out her husband's R400000 pension.

Blind and bedridden, Makua, who is probably the country's oldest litigant, has approached the High Court in Pretoria in a bid to get what is now Mpumalanga to cough up.

Her husband, Johannes Makua, was employed as a road worker for 13 years before his death in 1985.

Makua, who has seven children, 22 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, lives in Nebo, a tiny village close to Groblersdal, Mpumalanga.

She said in court papers that her destitute family lived "from hand to mouth".

"I do not have long to live. It will be a travesty to my children and me if payment of their late father's money is not given to them to enjoy."

Her battle with officialdom began soon after her husband died on December 30 1985.

She made several visits to the department over the years in the hope of getting them to pay.

In 2002, the department told her to complete the necessary documentation so that the money could be deposited in her account, but she has yet to see a cent.

She approached a lawyer in 2006 to begin legal proceedings .

"On numerous visits to the offices, I was always reassured that the monies of my late husband are available for payment and would be paid shortly," she said in papers.

Speaking from a bed on the floor of her hut, Makua said: "I want my money by next week. Why are these people doing this to me? I would like to build a new house and buy food like other people."

After becoming blind a year ago as a result of high blood pressure, she stopped going to church.

Makua, who lives with her unemployed son and two grandsons, collects a government pension of R1080. She spends R600 on food, R150 on prepaid electricity, R45 on a burial scheme and the balance on transport to a clinic for regular checkups.

The provincial department has not filed responding papers, but spokesman David Nkambule said it was investigating the matter.

Makua's attorney, Zehir Omar, said: "We don't know the precise value of the pension fund, but we assume the accumulated amount to be around R400000, based on what Mr Makua was paying towards his pension."

In addition, Omar said interest on the outstanding money was also owed to Makua.

Professor David Unterhalter of the University of the Witwatersrand's law department said there was a strong possibility Makua was the country's oldest litigant.