POLOKWANE – For almost two decades, Tebogo Mathoko (38) struggled with addiction in a battle that not only stole her childhood dreams but also her ability to live a normal life.

Although she graduated as an attorney and worked as a prosecutor in Musina and later as an attorney in Polokwane, Mathoko told BONUS that she never truly enjoyed the achievements her qualifications brought her.

Her practising licence was suspended after she turned to drugs to feed her addiction.

How it began

Her substance abuse began under the influence of friends, as she tried to fit in with her peers and the celebrities she was surrounded by while studying at a prestigious institution.

Mathoko, from Makgodu village in Moletjie, explained that she was smoking crack cocaine at the time. She became a prisoner of addiction and, at her lowest point, experienced hallucinations.

Although she managed to quit crack cocaine on her own without rehabilitation, she relapsed two years later and was introduced to crystal meth.

‘I lost everything’

“I fell deep into addiction, to the point of living on the streets where I endured physical, emotional and mental abuse. I lost everything, including my dignity. I come from a respected family and I disgraced them. I was an attorney by profession, I got struck off the roll and lost my practising licence,” she said.

She once again found the willpower to seek help and began her journey to recovery. However, she relapsed again, this time smoking drugs within her community, where she and her family are well known and respected.

“They got to experience my drugged self. During this time, I went mentally ill because of my drug intake,” she said.

Two years clean

In 2024, Mathoko made another bold decision to rebuild her life. She sought the help she needed and has remained clean for two years.

She is now focusing her energy on educating young people about the dangers of drugs while trying to reintegrate into society.

For Mathoko, the journey has been difficult, particularly because of the judgement she has faced.

“I hope this time around my sobriety is forever,” she said.

A voice for others

She now uses her Facebook page, Tebogo Mathoko, to have honest and difficult conversations about addiction.

Through sharing her own experiences, she has become a voice for people who have walked a similar path, while helping shed light on the realities of substance abuse.