By Staff Reporter
HILLBROW – For 42-year-old Hendrick Ndlovu, life changed forever when he lost his mother in 2009. What began as overwhelming grief eventually led him down a path of addiction, homelessness and heartbreak. Today, however, he is holding onto one thing that addiction could not take away – hope.
Raised by his single mother in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni, Ndlovu was forced to live with relatives after her death. Struggling to cope with the loss, he turned to alcohol while working at a local butchery in 2010. Soon afterwards, he also began smoking dagga in an attempt to escape his emotional pain,But what he believed was a way to cope soon became a nightmare.
Ndlovu recalls asking his cousin, who was using heroin at the time, to buy him dagga while he was at work. Unknown to him, the dagga had been laced with heroin. “I didn’t know what was happening,” Ndlovu said. “I only realised something was wrong when I became sick whenever I didn’t smoke. My cousin eventually admitted what he had done, and that’s when I understood how my addiction had started.” His addiction escalated rapidly, eventually costing him his job and pushing him deeper into despair.
Determined to turn his life around, Ndlovu sought help in 2011 after a Good Samaritan took him to the South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (SANCA) in Boksburg, where he underwent rehabilitation. For a time, things began to improve. A local pastor opened his home to Ndlovu and supported his recovery. However, the battle against addiction proved difficult. He relapsed and later moved to Johannesburg, where he eventually found himself living on the streets.
Today, Ndlovu is among the homeless people receiving assistance through the Gauteng Department of Social Development’s Homeless Outreach Programme in Hillbrow. The initiative provides social work support, referrals to shelters and rehabilitation services, as well as access to hygiene facilities. During the outreach, beneficiaries were also able to use a mobile wash bus, giving many the opportunity to shower and regain a sense of dignity.
Now staying at a homeless shelter in Hillbrow, Ndlovu says he is determined to overcome addiction once and for all. “My social worker is working hard to find a rehabilitation centre for me because my son deserves a father he can be proud of,” he said. “I want to get clean, rebuild my life and be there for him.”
Although years have passed, Ndlovu says the betrayal by someone he trusted still affects him. “I became addicted because someone close to me betrayed my trust. Since then, I’ve struggled to trust people and have mostly kept to myself,” he explained. Despite the hardships he has endured, Ndlovu refuses to let his past define his future. Before addiction took hold, he worked in sales and discovered a passion for business. Once he completes rehabilitation, he hopes to start his own company and build a better life for himself and his son.
His journey serves as a reminder that behind every person living on the streets is a story of loss, pain and resilience. With the right support and a second chance, recovery is possible, and for Hendrick Ndlovu, that journey has already begun.