Potlako Leballo - Early Years

Early Years

Leballo was born in Lifelakoaneng, Mafeteng, Basutoland in 1915, the youngest of fourteen children, but claimed he had been born in 1925. His absentee father was a catechist in the Anglican Church who taught at St. Paul's Mission in Tsikoane and he was reared by two of his father's elder brothers. One of these, Motsoasele, was a fervent nationalist and retained his traditional religion until his death in 1947. The other uncle, Nathaniel, was an Anglican pastor and Potlako received a Christian education, first at St. Saviour's in Hlotse and later at Masite Institution in Morija. While at St. Saviour's, he was abducted by Uncle Motsoasele who took him to receive his traditional Sotho initiation known as lebollo. Lebollo was contrary to St. Saviour's rules and, as a result, he was expelled.