After six days at a Khulisa Youth Camp Joseph Radebe is a changed man and is looking forward to a life completely different from the one he led stealing cellphones, guns and raping.
Radebe, from Alexandra, speaks with confidence about his new beginning at the end of the camp. “I don’t care what my community will think of me after turning over a new leaf,” he says when asked about the reception he expects from his peers.
Radebe says a friend, a rehabilitated criminal, recruited him into the camp. He got to appreciate the work his friend was doing in involving scores of Alexandra township youth in anti-crime activities and violence prevention. He said he came to the camp with few expectations. “I thought it would be boring and brought some beers with me, which I later realised were not necessary.”
Radebe is 18 years old and in grade nine, which he says has been difficult for him he had initially left school in 1999 after he fought with his teachers. “I used to confront and harass female teachers and at times stole money from people at school. Sometimes I committed these deeds to please friends,” he says, emphasising that when he returns home he will work in projects that are against crime and violence.
“My involvement in crime dates back to the death of my brother, who was shot by some thugs in the township over a squabble with a rival gang. I then decided to get a gun, which I later stole from a car. This led to one act of crime after another, sometimes robbing people of their firearms.”
Radebe’s life took a turn when his single mother complained about his lifestyle, which had twice landed him in prison. Khulisa’s youth camps date back to 1997, and the past two-week camps were jointly run with the Gauteng Department of Safety and Security, attracting about 42 males and females from Gauteng townships.
Last week’s camp, with the theme “Make it Better”, got a financial injection of R30 000 from the Department of Safety and Security. Khulisa’s focus for the camp was largely on young people in conflict with the law, arranging interactive workshops during which participants told their personal stories.
Like Radebe most of the participants were former offenders and street kids. The camp covered issues such as handling peer pressure, principles of community development, leadership and teamwork. Participants worked in groups to develop solutions to problems.
Another module covered the building of self-confidence among participants, making them identify role models in an attempt to mould new personalities out of them. In one experiment participants were taught how to know and identify their friends. For instance, the facilitator blindfolded a participant and picked another from the group. Using his hands, the blindfolded person touches the other with the purpose of identifying who it is.
Mike Dreike, the camp facilitator, says Khulisa assists the participants to conquer fear and learn communication skills. “When kids commit crime, they sometimes find it difficult to hand themselves over to police. We explain the advantages of doing so.” Dreike congratulated participants on their outstanding behaviour.
He says they are also involved in rehabilitation programmes in conjunction with the Leeukop prison to impart a variety of skills to prisoners. His sentiments are echoed by Xolisa Mulaudzi, the project manager, who says people are learning life-enrichment skills and appear to be adjusting quickly.
On completion of the camp participants were expected to form their own projects in their townships and raise awareness among the youth on issues that affect them and their environment. As a token of encouragement, participants receive certificates endorsed by the Department of Safety and Security and Khulisa.
Nteboleng Rabochocho is another success story of the camp and has initiated a project that raises community awareness about crime and violence. She says they have established good relations with the Department of Safety and Security in the area and the Department of Welfare.
Khulisa has about 18 mentors who assist in drawing participants to the camps and it has a 78% success rate from programme graduates. Many of these mentors are people who formerly participated in crime.