World’s second oldest man ‘Grandfather Ben’ aged 111 reveals secret to long life & says he’s ‘lost count’ of grandkids
THE SECOND oldest man in the world has credited one simple thing as the secret to a long life.
At 111-years-old, Ben Ngemani Mabuza, credits a "simple diet" to living a long and healthy life.
According to his official ID card, Ben was born in 1913.
Speaking to What's the Press, he said: "Every day I eat porridge, meat and morogo, a wild type of African spinach.
"I know my plants.
"And when I’m out tending to my veggies, everybody who goes past stops to say hello."
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Known as 'Grandfather Ben', he lives in the village of Silobela, just outside Carolina, in Mpumalanga, South Africa.
He continued: "I grew up on a farm,
"I had to work in the fields from a young age.";
His long life span has meant that the super centenarian has had to say farewell to 10 out of 12 children and has been a widower for years.
However, he's been blessed with many grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
He currently lives with two of his granddaughters, Neliswe, 44, and Makhosazane, 27.
He said: "Too many to count.
"There must have been about 40 of them.
"There are also a bunch of great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren."
Despite his advanced age, Ben is in good health.
He said: "I have never been admitted to a hospital for a serious illness.
"It’s just my legs that are a bit troublesome."
Ben isn't the only family member blessed with good genes, his younger brother is 99-years-old.
Last year, the town had a big party to celebrate his 110th year alive.
Ben added: “It was a nice party.
“There was even a band.”
Ben’s granddaughter Makhosazane said: “Maybe he’ll make it into the Guinness World Record book – but for the town it doesn’t really matter.
“He’s already a legend and that’s all that really matters.”
He could soon become a contender for the Guinness World Record.
World’s oldest people
Edie Ceccarelli - Born in California on 5 February 1908, he was the first of seven children to Italian immigrants Agostino and Maria Recagno. He is currently 116 years old.
Tomika Itooka - Born on May 23, 1908, in the city of Osaka, she is the oldest validated person living in Japan. she is currently 115 years old.
Inah Canabarro Lucas - Born on June 8, 1908, she is the oldest person currently living in Latin America. Having become a nun in the 1920s, she’s also the oldest living person in this profession. She is currently 115 years old.
Juan Vicente Pérez Mora - Born on May 27, 1909, holds the coveted title of being the oldest validated living man in the world. He’s held this title since the 18th of January 2022. He is currently 114 years old.
Elizabeth Francis - Born on July 25, 1909, he is the oldest known person in the state of Texas. Francis has three grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. He is currently 114 years old.
Ethel Caterham - Born on August 21, 1909, she is the oldest person living in the UK and has spent more than the last 50 years living in Surrey, England. She is currently 114 years old.
Okagi Hayashi - Born on September 2, 1909, is the fourth-oldest living person in Japan. Hayashi had 8 children, 22 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren. He is currently 114 years old.
Pearl Berg - Born on October 1, 1909, Pearl Berg is the second-oldest known living person in the U.S. state of California, as well as the oldest known living Jewish person. He is currently 114 years old.
Tane Matsubara - Born on October 15, she is the oldest known living resident in the Hokkaido Prefecture. Currently 114 years old.
Previously, the title of the oldest man in the world was held by Juan Vicente Pérez of Venezuela, who was 114 years old when he died in April this year.
The current record holder for the oldest man in the world is the UK's John Alfred Tinniswood, who was born in August 1912, will soon be 112-years-old.
The Brit supercentenarian lives in a care home in Southport, Merseyside, and puts his long life down to fish and chips on a Friday.
When the World War 2 veteran was asked what his secret was, John, who lives at The Hollies care home, said: “Moderation in all things and keep on moving about.
“To sit down in a chair all day is no good.”
The current record holder for the longest living person on the globe is held by 117-year-old great grandmother Maria Branyas.
Born on 4 March 1907 in San Francisco, the grandmother has lived her life since she was eight in Spain's Catalonia - and has been in the same nursing home for the past 23 years.
Maria has lived through the 1918 pandemic, the two World Wars and Spain's civil war
She got married in 1931 to a Catalan doctor named Joan Moret, with whom she had three children.
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While her husband passed away in 1976, Maria has outlived their only son, August, who died in a tragic tractor accident at the age of 86.
She now has two daughters, 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Longest Living People in History
THE world's oldest ever people are all women and are from different places across the globe.
- Jeanne Calment France 122 years 164 days died 1997
- Kane Tanaka 119 107 days Japan died 2022
- Sarah Knauss USA 119 97 days died 1999
- Lucile Randon France 118 340 days died January 2023
- Nabi Tajima Japan 117 280 days died 2018
- Marie-Louise Meilleur Canada 117 230 days died 1998
- Violet Brown Jamaica 117 189 days died 2017
- Emma Morano Italy 117 137 days died 1899
- Chiyo Miyako Japan 117 81 days died July 2018
- Delphia Welford USA 117 66 days died 1992