EX-CON’S DANCE CLUB PUTS SPRING IN STEP OF TEENS
The Cape Times’ Big Friday Read is a series of feature articles focusing on the forgotten issues that often disappear with the fast news cycles, and also where we feature the everyday heroes who go out of their way to change the lives of others in their communities. This, too, is a place to focus on those whose voices are not heard.
EX-CONVICT Vincent Mafu was serving his four-year jail sentence for robbery when his childhood dream of starting a dance club was reignited – a wish he would make a reality after finishing his sentence.
The 28-year-old Masiphumele resident's road to reintegration was marred by confusion, loneliness, and he felt like an outcast in society.
Mafu opened a dance club in 2017 called Pantsula For Life, which now has six students between the ages of 12 and 17.
The dance club hosts street shows on weekends to showcase their development.
“I suffered a lot because I had nothing, and as you know, it is hard to be employed when you have a criminal record.
“I had to adjust myself to this new life. While I was still unemployed I continued dancing just to get a few cents to survive but my focus was not on making money but to chase a dream.”
Mafu has been commended by the National Institute for Crime Prevention and the Reintegration of Offenders (Nicro).
The organisation's PR and advocacy officer, Anneke Scheepers, said: “As for the stigma that surrounds people who have been incarcerated in South Africa, we have a context of high crime and our society and justice system take rather a punitive approach where we want to punish and sanction people.
“The Department of Justice and Correctional Services do have efforts where they are trying to work with offenders and get them to a place to reintegrate more easily into our society.
“Our society takes a very negative stance on offenders and so they are rejected by society and marginalised.
“Some of them are victimised by society and about half of the people in prison in the country have been in prison before, so we have a very high rate of re-offenders.”
As a youngster, Mafu found himself in a life of gangs and drugs in 2006, and in 2013 he was arrested and sentenced to four years and one month for aggravated robbery.
“My mother used to tell me that as far as she can remember I started dancing at the age of two.
“In the early 2000s I joined a pantsula group and at that time dancing was a real deal and almost every youngster was into dancing.
“This was before the arrival of drugs and gangsters in our township.
“In 2006 I became part of a gangster group and I had to quit dancing.
“I focused on doing crime, drugs
and dropped out of school.
“In 2013, I was jailed for four years and a month for robbery and while in jail serving my sentence something came to my mind and reminded me that I am a dancer.
“That is when I told myself that when I go out I will start my new group and I opened a small dancing club while I was in jail,” said Mafu.
“I don't wish to see a teenager in my community going through what I went through and that is one of the reasons why I started the dancing club; to help them stay out of the street.
“They need to be guided throughout their journey in life.
“I want them to become what I failed to become.
“I want them to respect their parents, read books and stay at school so that they get good jobs,” Mafu told the Cape Times in a recent interview.
As hard as life was for him in jail, Mafu said the programmes he attended changed his mindset about life.
“I learnt that there is no freedom in jail because you are being controlled, from what you eat, and your time to socialise is limited.
“When you are outside jail you can do whatever whenever you want. The keys to success are with you all the time but it depends on you on how you use them and what doors you want to open with the keys. There is abuse in jail especially if you don't belong to a gang but you just have to focus on the positive side,” he said.
Twelve-year-old group dancer Siwaphiwe Sizani, who has been a member of the group for more than three months, said dancing kept her grounded.
“I did not know much about dancing but he has taught us a lot.
“He helps us not to be involved in criminal activities.
“Dancing has become my passion and I would love to see myself as a professional dancer and teach my peers.
“Also, draw awareness to drugs in my community,” she said.
A parent, Pindiwe Ntlathi, praised Mafu's work.
“I like what he is doing since our community is drug dominated and many young people turn to drug consumption.
“Mafu's dancers are very disciplined and focused, and what I like most is that they are doing well even at school. They are kept away from teenage pregnancy, drugs, and all other unnecessary things in our society. I have since partnered with him and I have arranged a dancing competition with a lady from Philippi who has her own dancing club.
“Currently, it's something we are working on. The dance club gives me hope that it will grow and become big and be recognised by many. He is dedicated and humble in what he is doing,” said Ntlathi.
Mafu, who has been self-funding the group, has urged the public to assist in donating sound equipment and dance uniforms.
To assist Mafu's dance club contact him on 063 839 8540.