PERSONALITY PROFILE

MOOSA LAHER

Businessman Moosa Laher has become a household name, being a frontrunner in the race against the negative elements facing our communities on a daily basis.
The well-known dedicated community leader has spent more than three decades fighting for the rights of the residents of Fordsburg and surrounds, as well as suburbs in the south of Johannesburg such as Lenasia.
Born in July of 1936, Moosa’s life was mapped to take him on a journey of achievements that touched the hearts of thousands of people, towards whom he has dedicated his time and effort.

Moving to Johannesburg in 1958, Moosa opened Main Grocers and Fruiterers on 300 Main Road in Fordsburg, which has since become a car sales business.
He founded the Fordsburg Muslim Youth Organization in the same year, to assist the needy in Fordsburg and surrounds, and recalls the first time he distributed food to the poor “My friends and I donated 5 shillings each and managed to create 65 hampered parcels.”

In 1965, Moosa purchased a hearse to assist with Muslim burials for all - especially the poor. Working with the Central Islamic Trust Organization on these initiatives had led to a merger of both organizations, and a lot of work has been done for the many communities it serves.

Moosa says “We also fought hard to get the schools for our Indian youth but we managed to always successfully get the government to agree to give us the properties for our communities. In fact, we also opened a preschool for the children of our exiled stalwarts of the ANC anti-apartheid cause!”

Moosa joined the Witwatersrand Indian Football Association in the ‘70s, and attempted to bridge the gap between races and assist youth from every walk of life.
Even though Moosa, together with the late Father Sigamoney, Bob Poweding, Rasheed Garda and others, fought the apartheid laws, the best facilities were given to Whites while the non-Whites had to play on gravelled fields.
However, they did not give up but persevered to improve the conditions for their teams.
He later formed the Witwatersrand Football Association, which had become one of the biggest amateur associations in Transvaal – Moosa resigned from the Association 10 years ago to concentrate on his other initiatives.
In 2007, Moosa formed the Greater Mayfair Local Junior Football Association, after realizing that the youth needed a better and healthier way of occupying their free time.
Moosa says “We began with six teams and we have grown tremendously since then, and we play at the Jubileum Grounds in Mayfair - we hope to increase the amounts of teams by 2009.”

Today, through the decades of time and efforts of Moosa and fellow officials, there have been great strides made in their initiatives:

1. Many schools for the Indian youth – all of which can now accommodate hundreds of pupils
2. Custodians of following Muslim cemeteries – Newclare, Westpark, Kroonvlei
3. Currently five hearses to serve Muslim communities
4. Distributions of 350 to 400 parcels per month to the poor in Forsburg and surrounds, and Lenasia and surrounds
5. Workshop in Newtown (founded 15 years ago) to create employment for the poor, where they make doorstoppers
6. Bursaries all over Gauteng (founded 30 years ago) – allotting huge amounts for individuals
7. Full-time employees to manage the initiatives.

Moosa says “There are so many individuals who have given their years of time and effort to work with me to help our communities.”
He continues to name a few – Ahmed Patker, Late Baboo Chothia, Yusuf Taraj, Rasheed Gangat, Ismail Lockhat, Ismail Mamoojee, Imraan Patel, Ahmed Nadia, Bobby Pelwan, MH Patel, Ahmed Wadee, Dawood Manack, Yusuf Mether, Ahmed Goolam, Reeza Latib, Shiraz Bulbulia.
He says “It is through Almighty Allah that we have succeeded in all the initiatives and projects we began, and we hope to help many more people in the future.”
Moosa is married to wife, Fatima and has five children – and a handful of beautiful grandchildren. He has come to inspire them to follow in his footsteps – and is certainly a role-model for those who have become community workers.

Profile by Fathima Jhani