Siyabuswa - A man convicted of murder and armed robbery has decided to make something of his life after spending seven years in prison.

Maveni Shoba, 41, of Mashiding village near Siyabuswa said he has swapped a life of crime for a life as an entrepreneur.

"I tried to make riches the wrong way in the past, but all that has changed. I was a scum to the community, now I have my dignity back," said Shoba.

Shoba said he became a criminal at a young age with several brushes with the law until he was convicted in 1997 and given a 15-year prison sentence for murder and armed robbery.

However, in 2005 he was released on parole because of his good behaviour in prison.

"Prison was very horrible. There were so many brutal fights amongst inmates. I looked and saw what we criminals were really like, and I hated it," said Shoba.

He said he started to see why society hated criminals and why most people wanted them hanged.

Shoba decided to convert to Christianity and started reading the bible.

He said some of his fellow inmates were so amazed at the change in him, that they turned to God as well.

"But, I must say, that when I was finally released on parole, things were not the same outside. I had nothing and people still saw me as a criminal," said Shoba.

It took a while for him to reintegrate into society and prove himself trustworthy.

He finally took the plunge and paid lobola for the mother of his two children, Ema Sikhosana, 40.

Today, Shoba is a proud husband, father, a Zion Christian Church (ZCC) priest and the owner of a restaurant called Ama Joes near the Thathazakho taxi rank. He sells pap, stew, kidneys, chicken, insides, traditional vegetables and soft drinks.

He also has a shisanyama, or meat grill, outside the restaurant.

"Most of my customers are taxi drivers, schoolchildren and schoolteachers from the nearby schools," said Shoba.

Shoba urged young people to learn from him, as prison is a very harsh teacher.

African Eye