Leah Kefilwe Moyo, affectionately known as “Mum Leah,” concludes a remarkable 33-year career with the City of Johannesburg, retiring in a heartfelt celebration of unwavering dedication and resilience. Her extensive tenure, culminating as a Cash Controller in the Finance department, marks a significant milestone in public service.
Born on 6 May 1960, Mum Leah’s journey began in Soweto, a childhood shaped by the 1976 riots that briefly relocated her family to the North-West Province before their return to complete her early childhood education. At the age of 12, following her parents’ separation, she moved to live with her grandparents in a bustling Soweto household, where cousins were treated as siblings.
She fondly recalls sharing a single bed with five cousins in a small two-room house and eating from a communal plate, stark contrasts to the Sunday seven-course meals enjoyed individually. Her grandparents, church leaders, were known for their open doors, welcoming strangers and actively serving their community; a dynamic she now laments as increasingly unsafe due to rising crime rates.
Her upbringing, rooted in strong family prayer and love, was strict under her grandfather’s guidance, balanced by her grandmother’s lenient and God-fearing nature. Mum Leah now recognises this Christ-centred environment as a blessing that instilled valuable morals and kept them focused on their futures.
Initially, Mum Leah aspired to be a nurse, inspired by her grandmother. However, a traumatic incident involving a patient with a knife in his head at a hospital revealed her low tolerance for blood, prompting her to abandon this dream. Driven by a desire to uplift her family, particularly her mother, who earned merely R50 a month as a domestic worker, she pursued a Secretarial Diploma at Wits. This led to a secretarial position at Acrow Engineering in 1985, where she remained until 1992.
Despite a modest salary, Mum Leah found contentment at Acrow until a friend alerted her to a job advertisement at the Joburg Theatre. Though initially reluctant, she was persuaded to apply, marking the beginning of her three-decade career with the City. She commenced her journey at the Joburg Theatre in August 1992 as a secretary, progressively advancing through various roles before her final position as a Cash Controller in the Finance department.
A valuable lesson from her grandmother profoundly influenced Mum Leah’s career: the importance of honouring her maternal uncle with her first salary to ensure lifelong blessings. After bravely presenting her first salary to him, her uncle blessed her, assuring her she would never be without a job. He kept a small portion for cigarettes and returned the rest, reaffirming his blessings. Indeed, she now retires after a career spanning over three decades with the City.
Mum Leah asserts that her time with the City of Johannesburg provided some of the best years of her life, free from significant challenges. While excited for her retirement journey, she expresses sadness at leaving cherished colleagues who have profoundly shaped her life. A person of deep faith, she hopes to impart the same strength to her colleagues, empowering them to overcome future challenges through prayer.
Looking forward, Mum Leah plans to travel extensively. Once settled, she intends to pursue business interests, devote more time to the church she co-leads with her husband, and indulge in her passion for maintaining a meticulously clean home.
Written by Tinyiko Barbara Ngobeni