“Everyone Deserves a 2nd Chance”: Cape Town Man Shares Journey From Incarceration to Mentorship

• Lerato Kossie, who lives in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, shared how he went from being locked up for nine months to mentoring teen boys in townships
• The iNtsika yeThemba Project coordinator told Briefly News that most of the boys he works with grew up in fatherless homes or were exposed to negative influences
• The Cape Town man also believes in giving people who were previously incarcerated a second chance and removing the stigma surrounding those individuals

For some people, turning over a new leaf is not as easy as it sounds. Lerato Kossie, who previously spent time in a Cape Town prison, shared how he went from a life of crime in the 90s to helping underserved teen boys chart a new course for their futures through a human rights non-profit organisation.

The road to incarceration

Born in Gugulethu, Lerato (known as Ta Lira among the youth he works with) spent most of his life in the Cape Town townships, having lived in Langa, Nyanga, and now Khayelitsha, the largest township in the Mother City.

The fourth-born of six children told Briefly News:

"I grew up exposed to poverty and experienced a glimpse of apartheid. My parents made me believe that white people were superior, and I needed to respect and fear them."

Lerato shared that the significant gap between the rich and the poor bothered him and led to unresolved questions up until today.

While growing up in the township, Lerato and the people he had hung out with adopted the belief that white people had taken everything from their families, and they needed to get things back. This is when he started breaking into houses in predominantly "white suburbs."

The law caught up with Lerato, and in 1997, he spent nine months in Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison, which the informative website South African History Online describes as the largest prison in the Western Cape.

There, he faced many challenges:

"I was put in isolation for five days. I was forced to join prison gangs and was able to refuse, until I lost my two front teeth. Things were harsh in Pollsmoor, and even the food was sometimes terrible.

"When I was incarcerated, I made a vow that I would do my best to ensure that young people in South Africa didn't have to go through what I went through."

Becoming a pillar of hope

Lerato, who has 25 years of experience in youth development, shared with Briefly News that he now works with Justice Desk Africa. According to the NPO's website, it was established in 2013 with the primary goal of promoting the power of everyday activists.

Justice Desk Africa also has a programme called the iNtsika yeThemba Project ('pillar of hope' in English), which Lerato had joined as a coordinator.

He notes that the programme aimed to end gender-based violence by equipping a generation of positive male role models who challenge toxic masculinity and promote human rights and justice for all.

When asked how he helps the youth (aged 13 to 18 and based in Cape Town townships), Lerato, a father to a 16-year-old son, said he introduced them to the Circle of Courage, which focuses on a sense of belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity.

The kids are also placed in a natural and peaceful environment, providing them with a space to explore learning in their own way and become vulnerable through the power of storytelling and journaling.

"Most of the young men I work with are fatherless or grew up in a broken home and were exposed to all sorts of abuse and drugs. A strong sense of belonging plays a huge role in a young person's life, and if it is missing, we venture out, seeking to belong."

Giving people a second chance

Oftentimes, people who have served time in prison are often marginalised and treated unfairly. Lerato shares that society can let go of the stigma surrounding previously incarcerated individuals by creating an environment where one can listen to what the person has experienced and foster empathy through education and rehabilitation.

He tells Briefly News:

"It is important to give those who took the wrong path in life a second chance because they have learned from their mistakes. If I were never incarcerated, I don't think I would be doing the work I'm doing now. When I returned home from incarceration, I was still doubting myself and how everyone saw me."

Lerato says joining a local football club helped him gain back his confidence, adding:

"If this structure were not put in place for me, I might have gone back to my old ways. I knew with my new role in society, I had to remain focused on making sure I didn't fall back because I was seen as a role model."

The changemaker added that it is crucial to assist those who were behind bars as they carry rich stories, which can resonate with those who might be on the wrong path.

Believing that people can change, Lerato concluded:

"Everyone deserves a second chance in life."

3 Other stories about helping the community

• Briefly News reported about a Cape Town security guard who reached into his pockets to help feed 40 hungry children in his community.
• In mid-February, Springbok captain Siya Kolisi visited champion tennis player Roger Federer's foundation, which aids disadvantaged children regarding education, to give back to a school.
• A local community worker fed and provided aid to those in need in her neighbourhood despite not having a job. The mother of three said her mom inspired her to give back.

Source: Briefly News