Special memories of former East London mayor who shattered the glass ceiling for women

East London’s second woman mayor, Magdalena Elizabeth “Elsabe” Kemp, died at her Seaspray home in Gonubie on Wednesday. She was 95. 

Smashing through workplace gender norms, Kemp was the city’s first female estate agent, a member of the President’s Council, a sporting champion and a woman who loved the colour purple. 

She is survived by her four children Lynette Winn, 71, Madeleine Stone, 69, Leon Kemp, 67, and Colin Kemp, 65, and two grandsons, Martin and Sean Kemp. 

Described as fiercely determined,  Kemp was regarded as fulfilled in every avenue.

She was an incredible cook, attained her glider pilot’s licence and kept the family garden immaculate. 

In 2006, when Kemp was interviewed for the Dispatch’s My Kind of Town feature, she said her life philosophy was: “Live every day to the full and do to others as you would like to be treated.” 

Born in Lindley in the Free State, the then Elsabe de Wet was head girl of Aliwal North High and studied at Stellenbosch University.

She completed an 18-month secretarial course in Johannesburg and married Mossie Kemp in 1951, settling in East London. Mossie passed away in 2005.

In 1964, Kemp started her own real estate agency, Kemp Estates, as East London’s first female estate agent.

Colin said: “She was the only woman, and male staff members told her ‘You won’t make it as a woman’, and when you gave her a challenge like that, she’d take it.” 

In 1970, the Kemp’s Nahoon home was destroyed by a flood which famously dumped the family piano onto Nahoon beach.

She was elected onto the East London city council in 1972, where she served for 16 years. 

Kemp served as the city’s deputy mayor in 1977 and was appointed mayor in 1978, 1979 and 1986.

Leon said: “She was an amazing individual — to break the glass ceiling in the 1970s and become mayor in a male-dominated sphere was incredible.”

Kemp was elected to the provincial council in 1981. 

Lynette said: “When my mom got into politics she was a Nat [the National Party]. It was Donald Woods [editor of the Daily Dispatch] who said ‘It doesn’t matter what our politics are or how they differ, you will be good for East London’.”

Kemp was appointed a member of the President’s Council under PW Botha in 1987, retiring from politics in 1988. 

Leon said: “I recall the day the president phoned her. I was in the garden and she came out and said ‘I’ve just been called by PW Botha to stand on the council!’

“Us children were not on the same team. We were not prepared to be associated with the National Party and we had many debates about it.”

Kemp captained Border squash for about 12 years and was at one stage number six in SA.

She was vice-captain of the Seaspray Bowling Club, which has hosted the annual Elsabe Kemp Classic in her honour since 2016. 

Colin said: “They wanted to get a liquor licence for their club to get a drink after bowls.

“She didn’t rest until they succeeded in getting it sorted. She barely drank but it was a challenge which she accepted.

“She started walking with a group of friends when she retired from politics and, as a sports person, it evolved into running.” 

When she was 71, Kemp ran her first marathon, the prestigious London Marathon in the UK in 2000. She came third in her age category. 

• A memorial service will be held in the Stirling Presbyterian Church, Cecil Lloyd Street, Stirling, on Tuesday at 2pm. The cremation is private. A live link to the service will be available on: https://youtube.com/live/svnusMA5Zq0.

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