‘If you choose the wrong friends, you will get stabbed in the back’
Gangsterism and drugs almost killed Hilton Titus, but on Monday the reformed gangster used his life experiences to warn young people to make the right decisions in life.
The 53-year-old from Scottsdene spoke at a Youth Day event at the Masibambane Secondary School on Monday.
“I started selling mandrax at the age of 13," said Mr Titus. "I became involved with the gangs and the junior gang called the Tough Turf Kids and from there, we did a lot of bad stuff like robbing shops, going into cars, stealing the fruits and veg of people that were selling them.”
He would end up at reformatories when got caught but would return to a life of crime when he was released. “I have got 14 cases in one year. They will release me on Monday and I will go back on Wednesday,” he said.
“We had a saying in the gangs that we need to leave something behind; we need to let the world know we were here. So for us, it was living on the edge, like tomorrow I will die or an hour later because of the rival gangs, the shooting, stabbing. And it was tough all over.”
Then one day his luck ran out. "The guys found me and they stabbed me; they first shot me right through the leg and stabbed me through my heart.”
The doctors had told his mother he was dead but further checks revealed that he was still alive, he said.
“If you choose the wrong friends, you will get stabbed in the back. I can tell you from my experience, you just need role models out there that are positive. I don't want our youth in South Africa to be part of the stream.”
It had been hard to adapt to normal lifestyle when he had started to put gang life behind him from his late 20s to his early 30s, he said.
Various organisations were part of the event which was organised by Keready, a non-profit focused on health issues.
A gender activist, Sikhangele Mabulu, told young people to avoid judging other genders and stereotyping, while a social worker at Kraaifontein High School, Bonani Gandilanga, emphasised the importance of maintaining one’s mental health and seeking professional help when needed.
Meanwhile, the Mosselbank River Conservation Team, young volunteers and partners planted over 300 plants to mark Youth Day at the Mosselbank wetlands on Saturday.
