Former Cape Town gangster shares how he went from guns to God
|Published
A man in a beanie and the same man in a black shirt. Jermaine Theys changed his life from a hardened gangster to a man of inspiration preaching the Gospel. Photo: supplied
Cape Town - A former gangster has turned his life around and made it his mission to change the lives of other youth.
Jermaine Theys, 25, is from Saxonsea in Atlantis, a town off the West Coast just outside Cape Town.
Speaking to African News Agency (ANA), Theys said he fell into gangsterism while in school as he sought authority and power.
He said he sank deeper into that life after leaving school and in the blink of an eye he was carrying out orders. However, he subconsciously knew that he wanted to get out and better his life.
“On April 18, 2018, I was sitting in my room and a voice started speaking to me and it told me to stop what I am doing. What I am doing is inhumane. I listened intently and said give me your plans and I asked myself how would this look.
Theys prayed for guidance on how not to wonder what people would say and how to tell his ‘broese’ (slang for brothers) about his choice. “God spoke to me,” Theys said.
He said although being a gangster came with the trappings of women, cars and money, it also came with consequences, such as many attempts on his life and losing countless friends.
“Gangsterism only brings heartache to you, your family and friends. It is not worth it. Today, I can see that my experience in gangsterism had to happen for me to be there and tell the next generation not to go down that path.
“I cannot mention the amount of times I have been shot at, friends dying next to me. I saw myself facing 10 to 14 years’ imprisonment at one point,” Theys told ANA.
He mustered up the courage to speak to his gang leader to ask to leave the gang.
“I didn’t know what to do. I kept praying. I called the gang leader and told him I did not want to live this life. I asked him to allow me this in order to better my life.
“He told me he saw I was distancing myself and was no longer 100% in this. By the Grace of God he wished me well. That was my blessing,” Theys said.
He said embracing his spiritual journey has led him to launch his own clothing brand, “Because of His Grace”.
“I am a young man who loves dressing well. Which young man doesn’t? Therefore I started a clothing line with T-shirts, golfers and crew necks for our youth.
“Because of His Grace will also in future be a programme and safety net for our youth. I am willing to assist anyone needing guidance,” Theys added.
African News Agency (ANA)