Captain Aaron Messelaar and his mother, Ma Griet Messelaar, the beloved 106-year-old matriarch of the Griqua Royal House who passed away on May 9.
The Griqua Nation and the broader South African community are mourning the passing of one of the country’s oldest and most revered matriarchs, Ma Griet Margaret “Koeliemeid” Messelaar, who has died at the remarkable age of 106.
The Matriarch of the Griqua Royal House passed away peacefully under medical care on May 9, 2026, leaving behind a profound legacy of resilience, cultural preservation, and maternal devotion. Her passing marks the end of an era, closing a vital chapter of living history for the Griqua people. Ma Griet was a woman of immense dignity, wisdom, and deep cultural pride whose life embodied the enduring spirit of her heritage, and her memory will undoubtedly continue to inspire generations to come.
According to her son, Captain Aaron Messelaar—head of the Griqua Royal House and deputy secretary-general of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa—the centenarian sustained a fractured hip during a fall on April 30. She was initially admitted to a hospital in Douglas before being advised by doctors to seek further specialized medical attention in Cape Town.
