Healthcare services must be accessible, acceptable, and of good quality for everyone, on an equitable basis, where and when needed. The Phomolong Community in Hennenman was brought together to discuss and engage stakeholders about their Right to Healthcare. They were joined by the Phomolong Clinic Committee, Department of Health and Hennenman Victim Empowerment Forum.
Kenneth Bosakwe (left) initiated Ambassadors of Change in 2010 after he was released from prison. It was in response to the high number of young people that he saw in prison. He was concerned about what life would be like for them after prison.
Mojalefa van Zyl was arrested for common assault and spent three months in remand detention, which is where suspects are kept while awaiting trial. At the time of his arrest, he was 18 years old and in matric. His charges were eventually dropped due to insufficient evidence. Even though he was not convicted, returning back to school and the community was difficult.
Maile Jackson Sithole was sentenced for 37 years and he says, “There’s life in prison, I worked my way up and made a decent life for myself.” While in prison, he joined the 26 gang and became an influential person among inmates.
“I grew up in prison,” says Thabo Pule, who has been in and out of correctional centres since he was 16 years old. “I was never sentenced for long periods but I was always on trial and would get 5 years and then 3 years and then 5 again since 1998.” Then, last year Thabo got out of prison for the last time. He found an initiative called Youth Build and cleaned up his life.