Evidence wa ka Ngobeni
Ginger Mahlamvu (22) was released from jail in May after spending two years behind bars for robbery. But unlike many former prisoners, he is hopeful about his future.
“I felt like a useless person, and that I wouldn’t regain my dignity and trust from my family and the community because of my involvement in crime,” says Mahlamvu.
He was regarded as one of the most infamous criminals in Soweto, but his life changed when he was moved from the Johannesburg prison to Leeuwkop were he was introduced to the Khulisa pilot project.
The project was started last September by Lesley Tintinger of Mass Media Marketing and spiritual leader Credo Mutwa, targeting parolees at Leeuwkop. “Our inspiration is our belief that juvenile prisoners can be rehabilitated by discovering their golden self within,” says Tintinger. “People are afraid to face reality as they tend to undermine the potential within convicts. These juveniles need to be given a second chance in life, that is why I am committed to help them.”
Mahlamvu was among other parolees released this year and was chosen to join Khulisa’s rehabilitation programme. “I didn’t know anything about this project, but I told myself crime doesn’t pay,” he says.
The Khulisa project rehabilitates juvenile prisoners by teaching them a combination of storytelling, visual arts, dance, drama, poetry and musical activities. “I want to help juvenile prisoners to restore their confidence, potential and even their future careers,” says Tintinger.
During training juvenile prisoners listen to true experiences after which they discuss the moral of the story. They are also encouraged to express their understanding through art, drama and dance.
Since his release Ma-hlamvu has been employed by Mass Media Marketing and has discovered a career in art and sculpture designing. His future goal is to be a comedian. He is also completing courses in drama and communication. “I want to be a comedian who will entertain, and educate the community – particularly the children – using my experience and involvement in crime to demonstrate it,” says Mahlamvu. “The project has really changed me from the terrible individual one could be and society would not like to live with.”
Mahlamvu said he became involved in crime because his family was poor. He became a member of the “Tiger” gang which stole cars, and his crime business moved from Soweto to Nelspruit in Mpumalanga. When he returned to Soweto, he stole “anything” to get beer and drugs. Recently, Mahlamvu confessed in a lie detector test at the South African Polygraph Institute that he raped a woman. “But the woman never reported the matter to the police,” he says.
Every three months Mahlamvu is evaluated at the institute to ensure backsliding into crime is deterred or detected in time. Tintinger says the tests are aimed at changing his thinking and to instil honesty in him.
“If you did us wrong, you have been reproved. If you repent and show true remorse, we are willing to forgive you,” says Coen Pretorius, the managing director of the Polygraph Institute. He says they can also determine whether the juveniles adhere to their parole conditions.
Tintinger says “the polygraph test results serve as a passport to new life for parolees like [Mahlamvu]. They also help me in finding jobs for them”.
Mahlamvu says the polygraph tests and Khulisa programme helped him to confess the truth about his past to his family and in church after his release. “My mother has forgiven me and she has accepted me in her life,” he says.
After a long battle to be recognised by government, Khulisa now reports the progress made by parolees to the Department of Correctional Services.