Cape Town - Allan Rehbock, 56, of Ruyterwacht, spent half of his life behind bars. He was the henchman of a prominent gang leader in the Western Cape, smuggled drugs and guns and has been shot in just about every limb of his body.
He had to undergo facial reconstruction after he was shot in the mouth during an attempted hit. A bullet was also lodged in Rehbock’s right hand during the shooting, which cannot be removed.
He was shot in the knee and hip during other attempts on his life and doctors had to carry out reconstructive surgery.
Rehbock also survived two accidents, one which left him in a coma for 89 days and the second which saw his vehicle plunge 85m down a cliff from Ou Kaapse Weg, and left him on life support.
Doctors warned he would never have children again after his one testicle was removed. Today he is a father to two daughters.
Rehbock’s story features in a book, Gangster, written by Carla van der Spuy, which details the lives of reformed gangsters.
The book hit the shelves last month. The author told Weekend Argus he was chosen because he was a “white gangster”.
Now Rehbock is a dedicated drug and life counsellor who started his own rehabilitation organisation called Healing Waters Community.
When Weekend Argus met him, he was sitting in his front room with Denwor Olhson, who had once been his warden at Pollsmoor Prison.
Olhson said of Rehbock: “For him just to be sitting here is a miracle, God loves him very much. He was a terror inside prison. I’ve learnt a lot from him.”
Rehbock had spent time behind bars for various crimes such as possession of drugs, fraud and assault.
He started his prison life at 17 at detention centres in Joburg before being moved to Pollsmoor in Cape Town. Nearly 30 years ago, Rehbock escaped from custody while being transported to Victoria Hospital.
He fled with a prison warden’s firearm and vehicle.
The escape led to a tragedy that would leave an indelible mark on Rehbock’s psyche. He was travelling in Lotus River in a stolen vehicle with his six-year-old son, Dillion, when they were shot at and the child was killed.
“My son was a passenger and a prominent gang leader gave the order,” said Rehbock.
“I had fetched the child from his mother. He had been born while I was inside prison. A week later my son was shot and killed.
“I turned myself in and was given an additional five years for the escape and had to complete part of my seven-year sentence.”
Inside prison, he continued to smuggle drugs and airtime. Rehbock’s tango with death continued when released from prison.
He was shot in the face in Grassy Park while travelling to Hanover Park when a gunman pretending to be a newspaper seller opened fire.
The bullet penetrated Rehbock’s mouth and he had to have reconstructive surgery.
In 2000 he was involved in a bike accident and was in a coma for 89 days. In 2011 Rehbock plunged off Ou Kaapse Weg and was placed on life support.
He has also survived a stroke and a heart attack and his wife took care of him.
“I didn't know anything and my wife had to take me everywhere, including to the church,” said Rehbock.
This was the turning point for him. When Rehbock regained his memory and recovered, he vowed to be a “living testimony” to youngsters.
After all, God had spared his life so many times, he said.
But first Rehbock had the mammoth task of cutting ties with gang life. “I visited all the prominent gang leaders and told them that I had to leave. I knew God had a purpose for my life.
“There were a lot of people who had input in my life but God was the only one who kept me. I knew I could help the youth because I was them, I have faced many of the things that they were experiencing.”
Rehbock then began the Healing Waters Community.
He also joined hands with various missing persons organisations, helped to assist finding children who had vanished or were human trafficked. Rehbock joined projects like Ceasefire in Hanover Park and became a victim and trauma counsellor.
Holding up a bullet proof vest, which was once his protection, he said: “I used to wear this when I had to go into drug or gang dens to fetch a child that was missing or human trafficked. “It was all done undercover.”