A group of ex-bandiete are determined to educate youngsters about the harsh reality of life behind bars in a bid to steer them away from a life of crime.
The men, who are part of the Abakhululi Foundation, go to gang-infested communities wearing their old prison overalls, to tell kids what goes on in prison, and why crime does not pay.
The foundation’s Sybil Bergover says: “The message that we bring is that you don’t have to end up in that uniform. These are the men who are sharing their story on how they ended up there.”
She adds that the majority of former inmates are sharing their stories to “pay it forward”.
“They want to give back,” Bergover adds. “They feel like they have hurt their communities and their families when they were active in their gangs.”
Grant Adams, a former member of the 26 prison gang, says he hopes to inspire gangsters and ex-prisoners to change their lives.
byron.lukas@inl.co.za