27/05/2025
A Tribute to uMama Nyameka Goniwe and the Goniwe Family
Today, I want to pay tribute to Mrs. Nyameka Goniwe, a woman who lived with grace, love, and strength. Beyond being the wife of Matthew Goniwe, one of the Cradock Four, she was a tireless advocate for justice and education. She carried the torch of her late husband's legacy with dignity, and she nurtured her family and community with kindness and warmth.
I also remember Mr. Alex “Chief” Goniwe, who led the Goniwe household in Qhina Street, Lingelihle. He was a man of integrity, generosity, and love — a true father figure in my life.
My connection with the Goniwe family goes back to my childhood, when my mother, uNomonde Betty Kwenene, worked as a domestic worker for them. After school, my siblings and I would wait at their house, not just as visitors, but as part of the family. We celebrated, grieved, and grew together. Mama Nyameka treated me like one of her own, offering her bedroom when I stayed over and teaching us the values of respect and kindness.
I remember the 2 PM family lunch — a meal that I rarely missed. Even when I was late, they always kept my plate warm in the microwave. Those moments of kindness shaped my childhood.
Mr. Alex "Chief" Goniwe gave me a black vest, which I still wear to this day, as a symbol of love and mentorship.
Then my mother stopped working in the big family house and started to work for Matthew Goniwe’s niece, Mrs. Kholiswa Rasimeni, a teacher by profession. She and her husband, Mr. Vuyani Rasimeni (the son of uTat’uHotete Rasimeni), lived in the North East suburbs of Cradock, and I would go there every day to help my mother with her work. It was there I experienced the joy of watching DSTV for the first time, and I felt like a true member of the family. I could change the channels whenever I felt like it, and they loved me dearly.
Every Christmas, Mrs. Rasimeni would take me along to the Goniwe’s main house to celebrate, whether it was for holidays, funerals, or special events. I had such a beautiful relationship with the entire family. Most people in Cradock thought I was part of the Goniwe family because I was always with them, even during leisure outings.
When
