- Rebone Nkhahle quit smoking tik without rehab and now works braaing pork and sausage near Philippi Junction mall in Philippi.
- Nkhahle now sends his parents money for groceries every month and looks after his two siblings in Philippi, Cape Town.
Rebone Nkhahle from Philippi, Cape Town, used to smoke tik. Now he braai’s pork and sausage near the Philippi Junction mall.
“For years my parents were begging me to stop smoking tik but I wouldn’t listen to them. Eventually I took a decision to stop without going to rehab,” he said.
Nkhahle works for a woman who sells pork and sausage. His day starts at 07:30, when he sets the fire so it is ready for customers by 08:30. He knocks off at 19:30, puts the fire out and takes the chairs and tables to the car.
He gets paid at the end of each month. When he was using drugs, he did piece jobs earning R100 a day and spent it all on drugs.
“Now I am able to send my parents money for groceries, something I was not doing when I was taking drugs,” Nkhahle said.
“The job has saved me from many things including involvement in illegal activities,” he said.
He also looks after his parents and two siblings.
Nkhahle said rehab alone will not stop addiction. A person must want to stop.
“There’s no drug addict who would stop smoking just because they were forced to rehab … They will stop when they want to. That’s the hard truth that parents need to know,” he said.
Nkhahle also had a message for young people using drugs.
“To young people who are into drugs, I would like to advise them to stop. When they are in too deep they won’t be able to go out. When they don’t have money to buy drugs the addiction will lead them into breaking the law,” Nkhahle said.
Pictured above: Rebone Nkhahle braai’s pork near the Philippi Junction mall in Philippi, Cape Town.
Image source: Buziwe Nocuze
