THE house is bright and inviting, filled with light and splashes of colour and the laughter of children. There are family pictures on the walls, just as there are in many family homes and, like most family photos, they tell a story.
And there's plenty going on behind these pictures. The mom smiling as she poses with her three little girls has been through so much - loss, illness, trauma, upheaval.
Her youngest child isn't here anymore. Gone too are the long gleaming locks she used to take such pride in. There are also no pictures of the children's father - the end of her marriage has now been added to the list of life-changing events.
But Verna Mulder (31) is feeling positive. She and daughters Leané (11) and Zamoné (7) moved into this house in Kempton Park recently and the new home represents a fresh beginning, she says.
Mienke, the little girl she lost three years ago, is still very much part of their family. "We keep her alive by talking about her often," Verna says. "I don't want my daughters to say one day when they're older that they didn't know they had a sister."
The tragic story of Mienke is well known: she was seven months old when she choked on milk at her daycare centre six years ago and suffered brain damage as a result of oxygen deprivation.
She lived for three years and the family clung to hope that she might one day recover enough to live a full life - but the little girl had many infections and complications and her heartbroken family said their final farewell to their beautiful daughter and sister in October 2020.
Since then Verna has been diagnosed with breast cancer and she and Ryno, the children's father, have split up.
"There were many factors that contributed to the divorce," she says.
She doesn't want to elaborate too much because it's a private matter, but she believes it's for the best.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
PUSHED TO THE LIMIT
The unusual relationship between an heiress and her husband has taken a sinister twist
HOW TO MAKE A SUPERBABY
Noor Siddiqui says her company can test embryos for hundreds of conditions from diabetes to Alzheimer's. Critics call it social engineering but she insists she's just giving prospective parents the means to avoid a lot of future heartache
THE GROWN-UP BRAIN
If you think your brain deteriorates as you age, think again!
THE eyes HAVE IT
They're the windows to our soul - and the first place to show the stresses of everyday life. Juliette Winter reveals expert tips to de-puff, brighten and smooth this delicate area
WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER
It hasn't been an easy road but now this bodybuilding couple are making waves in the industry
I CAN'T WAIT FOR SUMMER!
Annetjie's about to get effective treatment for the skin condition that has blighted her life and she's looking forward to hitting the shops and facing the world
'SHE NO THREAT TO ANYONE'
When SA boxer Chris van Heerden's Russian girlfriend went to visit her parents she was thrown in jail and accused of treasonnow he's in a fight to free her
SUNK IN 16 MINUTES!
A sun-drenched holiday turned into a living nightmare for those aboard this luxury vessel
READY TO SMILE AGAIN
A groundbreaking surgical procedure will restore this Limpopo teen's badly damaged jaw and teeth
HARRY AT A CROSSROADS
As the prince turns 40, royal experts paint a picture of a troubled soul- isolated, homesick and struggling to find a purpose in life