Former convict turns to politics, dreams of restoring community he destroyed

• Dumisani Ndobeni committed a crime and did the time
• He was paroled in 2019 after serving four years and has since turned his life around
• The aspiring politician managed to raise money through Facebook to build a house for a struggling family

By Llyod Dlongolo - Freelance Journalist

Dumisani Ndobeni contested the recent local government elections. Ndobeni isn’t your average politician. .

Ndobeni spent time in prison on sexual assault charges and he wanted to use the elections as his way of asking for forgiveness from the community he wronged.

Ndobeni locked horns with other candidates for the ward 1 ticket in the Sakhisizwe municipality in the Chris Hani district. He is a member of the African Transformation Movement (ATM).

The 34-year-old ex offender was paroled in 2019 after serving just four years of his eight year prison sentence.

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His parole became his turning point as he actively got involved in church and charity work in a desperate bit to regain the trust of his community.

Spurred on by the support he has received over the years, he decided to venture into mainstream politics.

"I have never dreamt about being a politician but it all came down upon me as a calling. I have a great passion of working with people and the best way of doing so is through politics," he said.

The ward he contested for is firmly in the hands of the ANC. Chris Hani District is also a firm ANC stronghold. This has not prevented Ndobeni from dreaming on and aiming for the stars.

"I understand that the role of a councilor is to hear people's wishes as well as improving their lives. When I was approached by the ATM leadership, I did not hesitate to take up the offer. They told me that I had been selected to be a servant of the masses," he said.

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Ndobeni already has a thriving foundation which helps people in need in his community. The foundation receives hefty donations from overseas and according to Ndobeni, every cent is accounted for.

"My community means a lot to me. They have forgiven me for my past regressions and given me a second chance. That is why I have transparently used all the money I have received from donations," he added.

The aspiring politician added that they built a house for a family in Bhisho using donations they raised from Facebook.

"Using Facebook, I was also able to collect some food parcels that I distributed to those in need," he told Briefly News.

Ndobeni seems to have done a lot for his community in recent months and that could be an added bonus into his political career. He hopes to use the forthcoming polls as a springboard that will spring him towards bigger heights.

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Convict sentenced to 35 years in jail turns preacher after his release

Meanwhile, Briefly News reported previously that a former convict, Richard Nyarko, who was sentenced to thirty-five years in prison, has become a Kingdom representative following his release from jail.

Nyarko was handed a thirty-five-year jail sentence for a crime he committed in 1994 after his appeal at the High Court was rejected twice.

After serving his time in jail, Nyarko has finally received his freedom and has become a preacher of the gospel of Christ.

Source: Briefly News