Taxi driver Leslie Moodley
PHOENIX taxi driver Leslie Moodley is proof that a man can multi-task as a single parent – by holding down a busy job, taking care of his child and running their home.
After separating from his wife in 2005, Moodley, 53, gained custody of their son, Prenolyn Leslie Moodley, now 10.
Since then he has dedicated his life and time to raising his son and ensuring Prenolyn gets an education and one day fulfils his dream of becoming a firefighter.
Moodley lives with his son in a two-bedroom outbuilding in Starwood.
His day starts at the crack of dawn with household chores: cleaning, ironing and making breakfast and lunch for his son.
“Because I am a taxi driver, I need to be up very early to get to the rank. By the time my son wakes up his clothes are ironed and his breakfast and lunch for the day is made. He takes a bath and I help him pack his school bag, then he gets ready for school.”
The pair leave home by 6.30am and Moodley drops his son off at his maternal grandmother’s home, from where he leaves for school, and where he is taken care of afterwards.
“I pay his grandmother R100 a week to ensure he reaches school safely and to take care of him after school. I fetch him at 6pm. When we get home I start preparing supper while he is having a bath. When he is done we eat, then it’s homework, followed by a little bit of television and then bed.”
Moodley said when his son is asleep he cleans up and then goes to bed.
“My life is a routine and I would not have it any other way. I have been married before and I have two other children who are much older from that marriage. I am getting older and I want to spent as much time as I can with Prenolyn because life is too short.”
Moodley said because of his busy work schedule the pair don’t go out often.
“I am generally off on a Saturday and it is my only chance to do our washing and other chores. It takes the entire day,” laughed Moodley.