Sthe and May Mahlangu motivate Bethal prisoners
70 offenders attended session with local soccer stars.
May Mahlangu and Isaac (Sthe) Nhlapho, professional soccer players from eMbalenhle, visited the Bethal Correctional Centre recently.
They were accompanied by Mr Thokozane Mndawe, a former officer who worked at Bethal Correctional Services for 14 years.
He said: “Incarceration is not the end of life, only a stumbling block and an opportunity to correct wrong behaviour.”
The target audience was initially offenders who play soccer at the centre, but it was decided that learner offenders should be included in the session as well.
“My childhood was very bad and I was raised by my grandmother after I lost both my parents before the age of 11.
“Her social grant was not really enough to sustain us and it was easy for me to be misled and go into a life of crime like many township boys from parentless households,” said Mahlangu.
He was 12 years old when he joined Remember FC, a local soccer team, and later went on to play for Kaiser Chiefs Academy and Stars of Africa Academy.
He met his mentor and father figure, Mr Farouk Khan, at the Stars of Africa Academy where he was noticed by South African teams, but opted to play in the Swedish League where he won the Footballer of the Year Award.
Mahlangu was also selected as the Swedish Athlete of the Year.
“Receiving this award earned me a place on the South African national team.”
Sthe, Platinum Stars player, said he got to where he is today through God’s love, hard work and perseverance.
He said the road to success was not a rosy one at all.
After failing to impress in Belgium during trials, he could not find a team interested in him.
He played for Platinum Stars and eventually for Bafana-Bafana.
Mahlangu and Sthe promised the offenders they will visit again and will bring soccer boots and soccer balls, a pledge welcomed by the 70 offenders who attended the session.
