▁the ▁same ▁time ▁as ▁N oni , ▁I ▁learned ▁something ▁that ▁confirmed ▁my ▁initial ▁thoughts ▁on ▁her . ▁' We ▁men , ▁she ▁said , ▁did ▁not ▁know ▁how ▁to ▁relate ▁to ▁her ▁( N oni ). ▁She ▁was ▁a ▁woman ▁living ▁far ▁ahead ▁of ▁our ▁times .' ▁This ▁speak s ▁volumes ▁considering ▁Ser ote ▁himself ▁is ▁a ▁world - wise ▁literary ▁and ▁cultural ▁giant ." ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁and ▁education ▁in ▁England ▁▁ ▁N oni ▁J ab av u ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁M idd led rift ▁in ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Cape ▁into ▁a ▁family ▁of ▁intellect uals , ▁the ▁marriage ▁of ▁her ▁parents ▁for ging ▁a ▁union ▁between ▁two ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁prominent ▁Christian ▁families ▁in ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Cape ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁Her ▁mother ▁was ▁Th andis wa ▁Florence ▁Mak iw ane , ▁founder ▁of ▁Z enze le ▁Woman ' s ▁Self - Im prov ement ▁Association ; ▁her ▁father ▁was ▁the ▁activ ist ▁and ▁author ▁David son ▁Don ▁T engo ▁J ab av u , ▁and ▁her ▁grand father ▁John ▁T engo ▁J ab av u , ▁was ▁an ▁editor ▁of ▁South ▁Africa ' s ▁first ▁newspaper ▁to ▁be ▁written ▁in ▁X h osa , ▁Im vo ▁Z ab ants und u ▁( Black ▁Op in ion ). ▁Her ▁mat ernal ▁a unt ▁was ▁Cec ilia ▁Mak iw ane , ▁the ▁first ▁African ▁registered ▁professional ▁nur se ▁in ▁South ▁Africa ▁and ▁an ▁early ▁activ ist ▁in ▁the ▁struggle ▁for ▁women ' s ▁rights . ▁ ▁From ▁the ▁age ▁of