Hooked on dagga by the age of 11 and mandrax by the time he was in Grade 8, more than half of Senzo Mabaso’s life has been spent in a blur of drugs, alcohol and crime.
Durban - Senzo Mabaso, a 30-year-old recovering drug addict from Newcastle fought back tears as he shared his story of struggling with drug addiction and alcohol abuse.
Mabaso explained that he arrived in Durban to attend school but started smoking cigarettes and dagga at the age of 11. Then in grade 8, Mabaso was introduced to the drug Mandrax. He added that although he was intelligent and not lacking ability, his focus on drugs and alcohol caused him to fail that year.
Mabaso dropped out of school, started drinking heavily and his drug addiction increased, so his mother sent him back to Newcastle. However in an effort to turn his life around, Mabaso returned a year later, went back to school, completed his matric and got a job as a security guard.
But his recovery was short lived.
Mabaso began stealing at work in order to support his drug addiction.
He began using heroin and was later suspected of stealing at work, so he stopped going to work in fear of going to jail.
He subsequently found employment at a security company and repeated the same mistakes from his past, and was eventually fired for stealing.
Having no secure income, Mabaso turned to a life of crime and started robbing shops and homes, which landed him in and out of jail. Disappointed and defeated by his inability to turn his life around, his mother kicked him out of their home.
Rejected and alone, Mabaso ended up in the streets of Durban where he was involved in an incident and was shot in the leg and landed in hospital. Upon hearing the news his mother came to see him during his hospitalisation, which lasted for four months.
Mabaso is now based at Refocus and Uplifment Foundation (RAUF), a halfway house founded by Br.Ebrahim Dawood. Mabaso explains that, as part of the treatment to keep his mind off the drugs, each morning there are programs which help motivate and exercise the mind. The programs include reading, exercising and different sport activities.
Additionally, they are taught many different skills which enables them to assist with gardening, building, baking and painting. The patients also visit schools to help create awareness to motivate young people stay away from drugs and alcohol.
As Mabaso chose to remain at (RAUF) he motivates and encourages other drug addicts, who come to the centre, to receive help, by sharing his testimony and he also intends to continue with his studies.
He has already attained skills in building and plumbing.
Mabaso hopes that by making these new decisions regarding his life and his future, he will be able to finally make his mother proud as she was one of the main reasons he survived and turned his back on a life of crime and addiction.
IOL MOJO