‘In prison I was making R 500 000 a month selling drugs’
Nongoloza is on a mission to raise awareness about the dangers of crime.
It is an indisputable truth that crime doesn’t pay. Former 28 prison gang leader, Welcome ‘Nongoloza’ Witbooi (37), is on a mission to urge the youth to steer clear of crime and work hard on their studies to be productive citizens of this country in the future.
Witbooi was the keynote speaker at an event organised by the 1st Generation Foundation and Heart and the Soul Foundation in the Snake Park Community Hall last Wednesday.
Witbooi said he became a gangster at the age of 14, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for armed robbery and assault at the age of 17, but only served 14 years behind bars.
“I served my sentence in Pollsmoor, Helderstroom and Drakenstein prisons in Cape Town. I also served part of my sentence at the Pretoria Maximum Prison.
“In every prison I was transferred to, I was referred to as ‘Nongoloza’ (boss of the 28 numbers gang).
“In prison I was making R 500 000 a month selling drugs, selling inmates for prostitution and selling inmates’ criminal information to my fellow gang members outside prison,” said Witbooi.
Despite his terrible prison background, Witbooi is concerned about prisoners who are falsely accused by their girlfriends and serving long prison sentences as a result.
He said such prisoners get into prison and ended up joining prison gangs.
Witbooi said the prerequisite for an inmate to join a prison gang is that he or she has to spill the blood of fellow inmates or commit a crime as part of the initiation into the gang.
He said the newly recruited gang members end up having their original sentences extended as a result.
“It is because of the harsh realities of life in prison that I urge the youth to refrain from crime because it messes up their lives.
“They live with the stigma of being convicts and they become unemployable in the working world because of their criminal record.
“I’m here today to inspire the youth to do good without taking part in criminal activities,” said Witbooi.
Currently, Witbooi lives in Westbury and has authored a book titled, ‘All is not lost’, which was published last year.
The book talks about his life in prison and the challenges he faced behind bars.
Witbooi is also a motivational speaker and works at Westbury High School where he presents a leadership programme for Grades 10 and 11.
