Actonville resident Sirjit Singh is 10 years short of being a centenarian and he is still going strong.
The 90-year-old celebrated his birthday on February 26, but his family threw a party for him on March 3.
“The key to living a long life is to remain healthy – do not smoke or drink,” he said.
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Although Singh was born in Panjab, he is no stranger to South Africa.
“My father [Babu Hazura Singh] was from India, but my mother [Sonkaur Singh] lived in Johannesburg,” he said.
“They married and I was born in India, but we moved to Johannesburg when I was a baby.”
Singh said his family moved to Germiston where his father opened a school called Singh Indian School.
“Although it had the word ‘Indian’ in it, the school was open to all races,” he said.
“The school was opened by my father on March 15, 1924.”
Singh studied teaching in Mayfair and returned to his father’s school to become a teacher.
“Over the years I taught at several other schools, but returned to my father’s school to become the principal,” he said.
He then moved to Actonville 53 years ago, where he has lived since.
“I became the HOD at the old Actonville Primary School before it relocated to where it currently is,” he said.
“I then became the deputy principal and then the principal.”
Singh remained the principal at the school for about three years but returned to his father’s school as the principal again.
“Shortly after, I became the principal at a primary school in Fordsburg and was transferred to Rynsoord Primary School as the principal when the school was established,” he said.
He remained the principal until he retired at 60 years old.
“I was also the chairperson of local affairs in Actonville. Today they are called councillors,” he explained.
Since retirement, Singh spends his days with his 14 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
As the generation grows in his family, so does their love for teaching.
Four (Patricia Rammble, Sirjit Ronald, Lionel and Vincent Singh) of his six children are teachers.
His second-youngest child, Aloma Bhowan, is involved in the municipal field and his second-eldest child, the late Rhona Singh, was also a teacher.
The Singh family describes Sirjit as a man of integrity.
“He is punctual, caring, loving, calm, tries to help everyone he meets and he comes from humble beginnings,” are the words used by the family to describe him.
Reminiscing about his life, Singh said the most tragic experience he has faced is the death of his wife who died in 2006.
“But some of my most memorable moments is being around my grand-, great- and great-great-grandchildren,” he added.
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