It's the present participle of the verb "lewe," which means "to live."
Here are some examples:
* 'n Lewende boom: A living tree
* Lewende weëse: Living orphans
* Die lewende woord: The living word (referring to the Bible)
* Sy lewende glimlag: His/her lively smile
Let me know if you have any other Afrikaans words you'd like to know the meaning of!