19 Oct 2015

Unlike many youths who grew up under the loving warmth, care Gobe Kgosietsile has never known that kind of life and learnt life the hard way as a juvenile who has been in and out of prison.

“I first went to prison when I was 15 years and from there onwards I have been in and out of prison until I was convicted of robbery in 2011 and sentenced to five years in prison,” Mr Kgosietsile said in an interview with BOPA.

The humble and ever smiling giant famously known as Go-Blesh in the streets of Monarch location blames himself for his demise stressing that he grew up as juvenile delinquent and it was only late that he realised that crime does not pay.

 However Mr Kgosietsile did not let his past haunt him as he stated that while in prison he found solace in the lord and from then onwards until his release last year he decided to change and refrain from the life of crime.

As a fulltime member of New life Mission Ministries, Mr Kgosietsile said that after his release from prison life was not easy as he did not have friends or money to put food on the table but instead of engaging in criminal activities like many habitual criminals do he decided to go to church and later enrolled in Ipelegeng for two months. 

It was from Ipelegeng’s stipend that he started his business that sustains him today and keeps him busy. 

Kgosietsile sells jewellery, cosmetics, scissors, belts, nail clippers, pesticides, perfumes and pierce ears of his client in front of the Barclays plaza building. 

He stated that his business put food on the table and with enough saving he would like to pursue his studies from where he left when he went to prison. He also stated that he has applied for poverty eradication programme and would like to do catering.

He said he wants to urge the youth to refrain from criminal activities and take education with exceptional seriousness, stressing that prison is not a good and healthy place to grow in as it depresses and alienates somebody.   

He said that being an ex-convict one loses self esteem and also tarnishes his or her parents’ image in the society. 

He also stressed that the youth should respect the elderly people regardless of their relationship with them.  Mr Kgosietsile also highlighted that “the grace of the lord is the truth, the way and the life as it offers guidance and can help one resist temptation.” Ends