From fraudulent medical doctor, to inmate and now she owns her own business
Pontso Rasaka, who served time for fraud, believes poverty played a role in her wrongdoing as she was convinced crime was her only way out.
POLOKWANE – Pontso Rasaka is a 49 year-old ex-convict who was arrested twice on charges of fraud. She is currently a business owner who has employed 30 people from her community in Tzaneen. She says her knitting and beading business is only possible because of the skills she learnt in prison.
She says she feels empowered by the opportunity the Correctional Service gave her, and the 30 employees she has employed help her with the day to day running of the business. Ponsto was speaking at the Polokwane Correctional Service’s Women’s Day celebration to motivate other inmates on life after incarceration.
Pontso explained her story by saying she met a medical doctor while still in high school, who convinced her he loved her and wanted the best for her. “Being a child, I fell for him.”
She says her relationship with this man was fueled by his money because she came from a poverty stricken family and she felt he would be the one to lift them up. “He convinced me to drop out of matric and work for him as a clerk, although I had no qualification.” She says he would train her in her duties and show her what to do. “It got to a point that he would teach me how to work as a medical doctor as well.” She says that some time into their relationship, she had full knowledge of how to practice as a general practitioner.
The man that Pontso was in love with, had a family of his own, which led to her finding another man who knew her as a medical doctor. “My husband had no idea what was going on and I did not have the courage to tell him.”
Pontso practiced as a general practitioner at various institutions, including Thembisa Hospital with no qualifications since 1995. This carried on until she opened her own practice.
“I believe poverty played a huge role in my wrong-doing as I was convinced crime was the only way out. I was really poor and I would use my dirty money to uplift other people by making large donations to individuals, orphanages and schools.”
In 2002, Pontso was arrested at her own offices in Tzaneen after police were given a tip-off from the community. She went on trial for three years before she was found guilty and given a three-year sentence. She was released on parole after a year and a half.
“When I was released, I had not learnt my lesson because I went back to my criminal ways.” Pontso was arrested again in 2016 on the same fraud charges and her arrest was handled by the Hawks and she was given another three year sentence. “My second time in prison was really frustrating because I had been there and I had a reputation to uphold.” She says it was the second time round when she saw fault in her doing and began participating in the rehabilitation programs offered by the department.
She passed time by learning how to knit and how to bead and says it took a visit by her younger sister who told her it would be her last visit as she didn’t want to change, that was the turning curve for Pontso.
During her time in prison, she also received divorce papers from her now ex-husband. “That was the first time I ever cried in prison because I thought my life was over.” She says she has grown tremendously since then and she has realised that she does not need a man to add value to her life.
“I ended up in jail because of a man, and another left me because I was in jail.” She says she has learnt her self worth and channels that into her business.
