Ronald’s start in life wasn’t easy, as an unplanned child, raised by his grandparents in Retreat, he was often made to feel inferior by his immediate family members who lived in Vrygrond. Ronald was raised to fear white people living separate from his mom and siblings and never having known his father.

Ronald entered the school system in Grade 1, he was an academically strong student but was bullied all through primary school till Grade 8. During his early teens he was drawn into local gangs, attracted to them by the sense of belonging and respect that gangs seem to offer. He started out in small neighbourhood gangs, but soon got embroiled in larger more organised gangs. His schoolwork began to suffer, even though he had successfully been nominated for an academic enrichment programme in Grade 9.  Things at school took a bad turn when Ronald was called up in front of his school as an example of a failure, he made light of it and came out looking like the victor. After repeating Grade 11 he matriculated. No-one in his school or family ever spoke to him about opportunities for tertiary education or a future beyond menial work or gang life.

Ronald found work in the security sector, using his position as a security guard to help local gangs set up robberies. Shifting between jobs and gang-related activities, Ronald one day found himself face to face with a Christian woman in Seawinds informal settlement, she hugged him, despite the racial barriers of the time, and  this affected Ronald profoundly. 

Ronald faced many disappointments, near death experiences and the loss of a friend who tried to warn Ronald of a “hit” on him. Now life consisted of drug-dealing and use, constant running from gangs and the authorities. One day Ronald found himself sitting outside a soup kitchen, homeless, hungry, dirty and scratching his lice, feeling that his life was over. This is when he met God and heard him saying “Ronald, it’s time to come home.” He found support and mentorship in a local church and his life began to turn around as he accepted Jesus into his life. Subsequently Ronald was invited to join Church of the Holy Spirit, where he is now a full time staff member, heading up Missions and Outreach at the church. He founded Future Hope Ministries and is working towards accreditations in child and youth Care. His passion is seeing vulnerable youth realising their value and re-imagining their futures.