When the judge slammed the gavel down, it heralded eleven years imprisonment for Lucky Khumbi.
Not only was it a clear message to the public, it also drastically reformed the life of the accused.
Khumbi, now 34, went to prison in 2006 as a criminal in the eyes of society after committing countless burglaries and theft but came out as a rehabilitated, empowered matriculant and a chef.
Today, Lucky the royal chef, as he is affectionately known, is the proud owner of the Royal Chef brand that he started last year.
“It focuses on catering, motivational talks, and losing and gaining weight tips.
I am not a dietician, I am just a chef,” he chuckles.
The charismatic chef learnt the theory of cooking in prison and spent his last two years in the kitchen. Since his release, he has gained experience in 12 restaurants in Potchefstroom.
“I cook almost everything Z boerekos, potjiekos, tripe, French cuisine, sushi; the list is endless,” he says. He caters for corporate events, weddings, family gatherings, traditional ceremonies and parties and his impressive record has seen him travel to places like Pretoria, Johannesburg, Klerksdorp and Secunda.
With a family of four brothers and two sisters, Lucky says his life is marvellous at the moment, compared to when he was roaming the streets as a criminal.
“The R30 I get for each plate of food I sell is way better than my ill-gotten gains as a criminal. I sleep peacefully at night knowing I’m living my life as an honest person. Police officers are now among my regular customers.
With so much to offer, Lucky’s most limiting factors are his 2-plate stove and small pots.
“There is always a shortage of food. People come to buy food during lunch and find it is already finished. That is denting my business.
I need to be able to cook in bulk for my business to grow,” he says, flinching at the thought.
While that is his short-term goal, his ultimate dream is to build a culinary school and give back to the community.
“I would like to change the life of someone that is out of prison. If I was able to make it, they can also make it,” he says.
His motivational talk focuses on one main topic: ‘People can change and there is life after prison’.
“I have motivated young offenders in prison. I have been there and I know how it feels like.
However, there is hope and life outside of those walls.
“You have to make the choice Z it is within you whether to change or not. You cannot justify committing a crime with poverty. In prison, they offer rehabilitation programmes for prisoners and they should utilise them to change their ways,” he says.
The dark clouds started to gather over Lucky’s life in high school and he got involved with the wrong friends. Soon, cigarettes made way for other addictions.
When his late mother tried to stop it by limiting his pocket money, he just started looking for money elsewhere.
“I started bunking classes and stealing bicycles from schools in town. We sold them for R200 to R300,” he said. The money was not enough, however, and this drove him to more serious crime.
“I used to make R5 000 to R6 000 a day from all the electrical appliances and plasma TVs I stole,” he said. He was arrested more than three times between 2005 and 2006 but managed to get away with suspended sentences and community service. Towards the end of 2006, however, his luck ran out and he was sentenced to 11 years in prison.
While he was in prison as a Gr. 10 dropout, he witnessed the harsh conditions and crime and reality finally kicked in.
“Jail is not a good place for a human being. People get stabbed, assaulted and raped.
Imagine being locked inside at night with people fighting and no one to stop the fights,” he says.
Lucky’s transformed mindset spurred him on to complete his matric and study catering, prison life skills and Bible courses.
His determination and good behaviour saw him serve only 5 years in prison and the rest of the sentence was converted to correctional supervision.
“When I was released in 2011, I first worked as a gardener and then gained experience in various restaurants to make ends meet and the rest, as they say, is history,” he smiles.
“Youth Day is coming up on the 16th and my message to young people is to go to school and remember that crime does not pay.
I am a living example. It is better to earn a meagre salary honestly than earning millions in easy money through crime.
Being caught and arrested is like a hot and burning coal in your hand. Will you stand for that pain?” he asked.
