When Jeremy Arries saw his brothers joining gangs and one being killed by rivals, he knew he had to be part of the solution and not the problem.
Three years ago, Jeremy founded his non-profit organisation Community Aftercare Sanitation Educare (CASE) and now he is giving reformed bandiete a second chance at life.
Last week, he launched a life skills programme at the Wamakersvallei Training Centre in Wellington together with the Department of Social Development, where men and boys are taught about health and safety, and life skills such as firefighting and grass cutting among others.
Fifteen people between the ages of 17 and 39 are part of the programme.
Jeremy says the aim is to help the men shake off their prison stigmas and find their “true identities”.
“My eldest brother died due to gang violence and he was part of the Americans gang and my other brother was also part of the gang,” he says.
“This is about setting up a new vision for these young men,” he explains.
TRONK TATS: Ink on former Paarl dik ding
The Daily Voice spoke to a 39-year-old man who had been the leader of the Terrible Josters in Chicago in Paarl.
The man cannot be identified as he was granted parole in December.
He had entered into a plea bargain in 2016 after he was charged with aggravated robbery for robbing a shop.
He was jailed for 10 years, five years of which were suspended.
TRAINING: A life skills course aims to help former convicts
“I committed my first crime when I was just 12 years old, when me and three other boys sodomised our friend. I was given a straf where you receive a beating,” he says.
Four years later he ran away from home and since he was 18, he’d been in and out of jail for various crimes.
According to him, verbal abuse at home forced him into a life of crime.
“I had a deep hurt inside me, and I felt the need to hurt others,” he says.
“Even on the day of that robbery, I wanted to shoot the person, but my friend, who was with me, told me not to do it. I had so much anger inside of me that when someone would walk past me in the street and looked at me wrong, I would rob them or harm them.
NEW LEAF: Anele Syulo
“Inside prison I was seeing by psychologists. And in Chicago, I was banned after I was accused of starting the gang war there.”
He has now found God and is determined to help others, giving motivational talks at schools.
Also part of the programme is a 17-year-old boy, who is facing a charge of murder.
He committed the crime in Paarl last year and he says he cannot discuss the merits of the case.
COMMITTED: Jeremy Arries
The teen believes the programme will help him: “I want to make my parents proud and do something with my life.”
Another participant is Anele Syulo, 30, a father of three, who says: “I was in the business of armed robbery, but I have put that behind me for the sake of my children.”
Jeremy says they are striving to help people like Anele and appeals to businesses not to be reluctant to employ reformed prisoners.
If you can assist Jeremy in any way, please contact him on 060 677 4435.