A man from the Zwelitsha locality in Mqanduli who set fire to the admin block in Holomisa Senior Secondary School in Mqanduli in 2014, is on a mission to educate youth about the dangers of using drugs.
Sonwabile Jara said it breaks his heart to see learners from this school using containers as their classrooms because of his behaviour.
“What is more painful is that I am working just next to the school now, and I see their situation every day. I am not proud of what I did. Every day it breaks my heart. Even though I was released by COVID-19 parole in 2020, I still have no guts to go and apologise to the school management, community members and learners,” said Jara. He confirmed that he is now a born-again Christian at Amamorians’ Apostolic Church in Zion.
He said that, before the incident, he started using drugs, which led him to change his behaviour. He had been involved in different crime activities because he wanted money to buy drugs.
Jara said he had no reason to burn the school.
“I burnt it just for fun because I did not have a problem with anyone at school or even in the community.
“But now I want to teach other young people to stay away from drugs because they are very dangerous, and you become a like a zombie when you are using them.”
He said he is planning to start Kungawo Amandla Akhe Prison Ministry with the aim of changing other people’s lives.
