Mariri, who has now been clean for four years, was part of the Ekurhuleni drug awareness campaign, at Sinaba Stadium, on June 21.
Due to drugs he became a pathological liar, a cheater, a thief and an irresponsible family man, who frequented night clubs and prostitution houses.
“Instead of taking care of my family, I stole from them – I stole everything, from toys and clothes to kitchen utensils,” he recalled.
He also became a thief outside his family, stealing everything he could lay his hands on just so that he could satisfy his drug habit.
“I started with a crack pipe and got addicted the same day; if you try it once you will never go back,” he warned.
Moriri said that drugs have destroyed famous people and many talented people.
He used to smoke everything on offer, from dagga, crack and cocaine to Ecstasy and heroin.
Moriri went to rehabilitation twice, but came back to drugs on both occasions.
His life was eventually saved by musician Hugh Masekela.
“He came knocking on my door and took me to rehab, where I stayed for seven months, and I have been clean ever since,” he said.
Drugs , he said, will make one rob, steal and kill.
He called on the community to fight drugs like they did apartheid.
“If you ride with cocaine, heroin, dagga and Ecstasy, you can be sure that you are headed for hell,” he warned both young and old.
