Harilall Prabhoo Singh celebrated his 100th birthday on Saturday.
A LIFE built on hard work, honesty, kindness and family is what centenarian Harilall Prabhoo Singh believes has carried him through 100 years.
For Singh, who celebrated his milestone birthday on November 7, the secret to longevity is simple: live by the motto, “Do good, be good”.
Born in 1926 in Illovo, on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, Singh has witnessed a century of change, from growing up in a sugar estate workers’ barracks to building his own successful plumbing business and watching it flourish across three generations.
Now living in Avoca Hills, he celebrated his 100th birthday surrounded by family and friends, with about 260 guests gathering at Sunford Primary School hall in Phoenix on Saturday.
The eldest of 16 children, Singh grew up in a hardworking family. His paternal grandparents had come to South Africa from India and settled in Illovo, where they worked as labourers.
His father worked for the Illovo Sugar Estate, driving locomotives that transported sugar cane to the mill, while his mother was a housewife.
The family lived in barracks built for mill workers. His father had married his mother and later her sister, with both women living under the same roof.
“We all lived in one house, there was happiness. Being the eldest, I watched my siblings grow up and made sure they all got married,” he recalled.
However, childhood was far from easy. When he was not working in the sugar cane fields, Singh cut wood, collected firewood and fetched water from the dam.
“I was very hardworking in my childhood,” he said.
One of the biggest influences in his life was his maternal grandmother, whom he remembered as a strong and hardworking woman.
“She taught me that nothing worthwhile comes without effort, and that hard work, honesty and discipline matter just as much as the rewards they bring,” he said.
A childhood incident involving his maternal grandmother also left him with a lesson he would carry throughout his life.
Singh said she had given him and his maternal aunt, who was about six months older than him, calabashes grown on the family farm to sell.
Although she had instructed them on what price to charge, the two youngsters decided to increase the price and secretly divide the extra money between themselves.
However, their journey home took an unexpected turn.
“On the way home, we saw this strange, dark-figured little boy, dressed as Lord Krishna, sitting on a large white cow. The cow suddenly began chasing us, and we ran all the way home. After that, my mosi (mother’s sister) became terribly unwell.
“When my nani (maternal grandmother) asked us what had happened, we confessed everything, including the money we had taken and what we had seen.
“She told us that perhaps the figure we encountered was Lord Krishna. We were so scared and remorseful that we returned every cent to her,” he said.
“It taught me that hard work is not simply about earning money. It is about earning it honestly and doing what is right, even when no one is watching.”
Despite his responsibilities at home, Singh also found time for sport. Soccer was his favourite, and he played as a left winger for his school team, which he said won most of its matches.
He continued playing after leaving school, joining the Illovo Soccer Federation, known as Hang India, where he participated in five-a-side matches.
With no school in his area, Singh travelled by train to Isipingo to further his education.
He started Class two (Grade two) at Isipingo State-Aided Primary School at the age of eight, cycling daily to the station before boarding the train.
“I used to park my bicycle at a nice White family’s home and then take the train. But on days when I missed the train, I had to cycle all the way to school. It took me at least 30 minutes,” he said.
Mathematics was among his favourite subjects, and he was a keen pupil who often came first in class.
He fondly remembers receiving books as prizes for his academic achievements, including Snow White and The Arabian Nights.
“I learnt the stories by heart and later told them to my children and grandchildren,” he said.
With his family at his birthday celebrations.
After completing Standard six, Singh decided it was time to enter the working world.
At 16, he started working in the guitar department at Gallo's, a Durban-based music and sports factory, where he spent eight years helping manufacture guitars.
His responsibilities included assembling the tops and bottoms of the instruments before they moved along the production line for the next stage.
However, Singh soon realised that he wanted to acquire a trade that would give him greater independence.
While working at the company's Asherville branch, he approached his manager and explained that he wanted to leave.
“I told him there was no trade there. If the factory closed down tomorrow, what would I do? When he asked what I wanted to learn, I said’ building’.”
What followed was the beginning of a remarkable entrepreneurial journey.
With no formal building experience, Singh began approaching builders in search of work.
He said he remembers being asked whether he could install a gutter, and that he simply agreed, despite having no idea how to do it.
“I just started saying yes when people asked if I could do something. I watched how they did it, and I learnt. I became so well known that every builder wanted me.”
He eventually established his own plumbing business, which he operated until retiring at 60.
What makes that achievement particularly special is that his legacy did not end with his retirement.
“The business was passed on to one of my sons and has since been taken to even greater heights by my grandson. Today, it has more than 20 vehicles on the road and employs about 60 people. I am proud that the name is carrying on.”
With his wife, Kalawathi Rajbansi, now late.
After years of helping raise his siblings and establishing himself professionally, Singh married Kalawathi Rajbansi in 1960.
He recalled first seeing her while visiting a friend's home in late 1959.
“She was his neighbour. My friend told me, ‘Why don't you marry her? She is a very nice girl.’ I saw her a few times after that and decided to marry her early the following year. We had our first child that same year. We had a beautiful life together,” he said.
His wife passed away in 2020 due to Covid-19.
The couple had four children: Pradeep, 65; Ashwin, 63; Shanitha Deeplal, 60; and Sheila Ramkisson, 59. He is also a proud grandfather of seven.
The family settled in Mobeni Heights, where Singh bought land and built a home.
Among his fondest memories are family road trips around the country, including to Cape Town, as well as travelling to India with his wife.
“Family is everything to me. When I was not working, we would always go out, whether to the beach or the park for a picnic. This carried on even after my grandchildren were born. I am so grateful to be surrounded by so much love,” he said.
Reflecting on reaching his centenary, Singh said he was overwhelmed with happiness, particularly because the occasion brought his family together.
And while he has lived through a century of challenges and change, he remains convinced that the principles guiding his life have never changed.
“Do good and be good. Be a good person, tell the truth and nothing will harm you. God is with you all the time,” he said.
His advice to younger generations was to always treat people with kindness.
“If someone does not talk to you, you must talk to them. You must be kind and loving and live a good life. Always do good things and be good to everybody,” he said.
Singh, who has no chronic illnesses, also attributes his well-being to a largely vegetarian diet, with meals such as herbs and roti being his favourite.
He also remains independent by getting himself ready every day.
In addition, he enjoys listening to the radio.