Ex offender gets a new lease of life
Locally based radio station empowered an ex offender by helping him start his own welding business.
CLAU CLAU – There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel for a 43-year-old ex-offender who received equipment to start his own business.
Mr Philip Khoza could not hold back tears of joy as he expressed his gratitude to popular Ligwalagwala FM DJ Madumane. Madumane, through his Kusile Breakfast Show’s Masakhane Programme, was able to find a sponsor to assist Khoza to start his welding project.
The equipment, including various types of tools used in welding as well as overalls, was handed over to Khoza at his home on January 10.
“It is one of Ligwalagwala FM’s Kusile Breakfast Show’s resolutions to help as many people as we can this year, especially orphans and people in need.
If we managed to deliver such a donation in our first week of being on air this year, it means we are on the right track to fulfilling SABC’s mandate and goals of not only broadcasting on air, but changing people’s lives as well. We hope we
will grow from here,” said Madumane.
Mpumalanga News learnt that Khoza initially approached the station’s DJ for assistance so that he could provide for his family. He said he would never commit crime again as he had learnt his lesson from serving part of a 15-year sentence.
He had been convicted for raping his wife, who apparently refused him conjugal rights. Due to his good conduct and signs of rehabilitation, Khoza was released on parole after spending five years of his term and has since spent two years outside.
Madumane told this newspaper that through the station’s research so far, Khoza displayed qualities of rehabilitation and they were going to help him lead an acceptable and pure life again.
“We believe he is a success story and that others can learn from
him,” he said. He also explained that Khoza would be expected to help change the lives of two other ex-convicts by employing them and the project would be monitored. “Our plan is to engage the government to make use of such people so that they can create jobs for themselves and others,” he said.
Madumane also expressed words of appreciation to a local businesswoman, Nokuthula Sambo of Phakamile Investments and Pat Ngomane, the ANC’s regional secretary for their contributions.
“I feel so honoured and so happy that I will now be able to start my business and take care of my family. May God bless them and may they
continue to assist others as well,” said Khoza.
His sister, Sibongile said, “We are so grateful as there was nobody else to help him. At least he will be in a position to provide for himself, thanks to Ligwalagwala FM.”
A brief summary of Kusile Breakfast Show’s Masakhane Programme:
It is a poverty-alleviation feature which is aired every Thursday at 07:45 on
Ligwalagwala FM and presented by the ever-vibrant DJ Madumane.
Listeners are invited to send information about needy community members via SMS, email or letters.
The presenters then do a follow-up on the invitations and conduct
inspection to validate the need of the applicants, and they further use the
power of the station to obtain sponsors.
They have also acquired prosthetic legs for a child, paid tertiary fees for underprivileged matriculants, helped a number of youngsters to obtain driver’s licences, and presented brand-new school uniforms to needy children through the programme’s five-cent collection project, and built houses for the needy.
