DE DEUR – In the late 1980s, Dave Barber patrolled the streets of Hillbrow as a young policeman, working in narcotics. But the very world he was policing drew him in.

“Through narcotics, I met certain crime f igures…started mixing with the wrong people…became addicted to crack and cocaine,” Barber recalls.

By 1994, he had left the police under threat of dishonourable discharge and spent years entangled in petty crime and substance abuse.

His first attempt at rehabilitation came in 1997, but the road to recovery was long and fraught with setbacks. “I ended up in a place of complete destruction…a broken man…who submitted himself to God,” he says.

That submission became the foundation for a remarkable turnaround.

Today, Barber runs the Walking with Winners Rehabilitation Centre in De Deur, a former Alzheimer’s treatment facility he bought and transformed into a haven for recovery.

The centre houses around 40 – 50 residents and recently added a sober living programme for another 12 people re-entering society. “We provide primary care for those just off the street, completely broken, then help them reintegrate into normal life through accountability and support,” Barber explains.

The faith-based centre combines holistic detox methods, daily group counselling, Celebrate Recovery programmes, and recreational activities like boxing and scuba diving.

A team of social workers, a psychologist, and recovering residents help run the centre, which has operated successfully for 16 years.

“We estimate about a quarter of our clients achieve long-term recovery – unheard of in recovery circles,” he says.

Barber emphasises the broader social challenge. Drug abuse is no longer hidden; it has infiltrated towns like Meyerton, affecting everyone from youth to farmers.

“Any person appearing in front of a magistrate often cites drugs or alcohol. It’s the core issue driving crime, unemployment, and social decay,” he warns.

“Walking with Winners stands as proof that recovery is possible, even from the depths of addiction.”