​After 16 years of addiction, Sipho Zakhele Msibi from Pimville, Soweto, has turned his life around and is now working as a production driver and assistant in the television industry.
 
Sipho's battle with drugs began in matric, where he initially used substances for fun but later relied on them to numb his problems. Over time, he became addicted to crystal meth, cat, cocaine, and crack, spending large sums of money in pursuit of his next high.

His addiction came at a high cost, he lost his wife and child, engaged in criminal activities, and became an outcast in his own community. This was especially painful because his parents, both respected pastors, watched as their son battled addiction.
 
"I was a lab rat ,I tried all kinds of drugs, and I spent everything I had on them," he admitted.
Even though he is now in recovery, Sipho acknowledges that judgment from his community remains a challenge.
 
A Turning Point
Realizing he was about to lose another child, Sipho decided to seek help. He first turned to his faith and then reached out to Social Workers at the Gauteng Department of Social Development (GDSD).
 
"I went to 41 Fox Street, and I met Sis Nolubabalo, who gave me documents to fill out," he recalls.
 
It took him a few days to complete the forms, and once he submitted them, he was referred to Clinix for rehabilitation.
 
"I didn't even have to wait two weeks before she called me back. The staff at Clinix made me believe in myself again," he says.
 
After completing an eight-week rehabilitation programme, Sipho secured a job in the film industry.
 
Extending help to others
While on set, he met a cast member whose child was battling substance abuse. Drawing from his own experience, Sipho encouraged them to visit 41 Fox Street, where he, too, had received life-changing support.
 
Sipho's story is a proof to the power of second chances and therole played by the Gauteng Department of Social Development in helping individuals reclaim their lives.