Vuyolwethu Nekile, an exoffender from Joza, has chosen a better life. From robbing people’s houses and stealing cellphones and wallets at night, he is now an administrator at a security company and a deacon and preacher at Shield of Faith Ministries.
Vuyolwethu Nekile, an exoffender from Joza, has chosen a better life. From robbing people’s houses and stealing cellphones and wallets at night, he is now an administrator at a security company and a deacon and preacher at Shield of Faith Ministries.
He has also recently opened a car wash business. Nekile (26) was first arrested and sentenced to two years in prison when he was 18 for breaking into the principal’s office and stealing money and credit cards.
The court agreed to release him on bail a year later to attend his mother’s funeral. A month later he was arrested again for burglary and they decided to cancel the bail.
He had to remain at Grahamstown Correctional Centre for one year to complete the sentence while attending court for his second case.
Nekile was raised by his grandmother Nomtoze Maku. “My grandmother is a source of strength for me. She taught me how to pray,” he said.
He now says that he owes his success to the power of prayer. His second case dragged on until the last month of the first case‘s term.
“It was towards the end of my jail term that I developed a fear of staying in prison for a long time. I prayed daily that I be acquitted for the second case.”
He prayed more than he has ever prayed in his whole life constantly encouraged by his grandmother, he said. The case was dropped due to lack of evidence two weeks before his release.
“It was then that I realised that crime does not pay and changed my life. I am now a born again Christian who plays an important role in the church and community.”
In April, Nekile opened a car wash with another ex-offender, Nzule Faxi next to Noluthando Hall Joza. The business is doing well and they wash, vacuum and polish cars for R20.
“I have been a jailbird most of my life,” said Faxi, adding that he spent 26 years in different jails. “Since I met Vuyo, my life has changed.I now manage our car wash business and I don’t do crime anymore,” Faxi said.
“I am business-minded; I have drafted a business plan for an internet café in the township and am trying very hard to secure funds so that I can start it,” said Nekile.
“Fitting into the community after being in prison is one of the most difficult things. You come back to a community that do not trust you,” Nekile said.
“They always see you as the first suspect whenever there is a crime.” But, he said, that with time and good behaviour people learn to trust you again.
Today Nekile is a valued and trusted employee at Ukhozi Lentaba Security Company. “Vuyo is an asset to our company,” Ramie Xonxa, the owner, said.“l trust him with everything.
He is diligent and honest.”Today, Nekile is the breadwinner in his family. He supports his daughter Lunge, his two siblings, their grandmother and their aunt. “Prison changed my life and I am never going back there, ever.”
