Joseph ‘Bra Joe’ Mahlaba (80), passed away at Far East Rand Hospital due to illness.
Born in Mozambique, Joseph moved to Payneville in the 1960s, and later settled in KwaThema were he lived till his death.
He started working in the mines soon after arriving in |South Africa, before being appointed as head cook at a Catholic boarding house.
His passion for plumbing pushed him to complete a trade test, where he obtained a C+ and worked for the former KwaThema City Council.
The dedicated worker was promoted to the position of foreman in 1984, and became the first black artisan foreman C in water and sewerage, a position he held until his retirement in 1993.
After retirement, Joseph spent his time as an active member of the Springs Taxi Association, and as a proud Tsonga, he worked at reviving indigenous languages.
His funeral starts at 7am, on Saturday (tomorrow) at the Kristo Nkosi Catholic Church in KwaThema (corner Rapodile and Dladla streets), before leaving for the Vlakfontein Cemetery.
He will be dearly missed by his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
