28-year-old recovered drug addict and a former street kid Zimi Nakeni says he never imagined himself as a Tour Guide in the city of gold.
Speaking confidently, Nakeni says he once called 'under the bridge' his home before he was moved to Soweto Kliptown Youth (SKY) by a good Samaritan. Nakeni says life in the streets of Johannesburg has opened doors for him.
"l faced challenges with no one to talk to, instead it made me a strong man and I never gave up because I knew what I wanted in life.
"I ran from home due to abuse by my step-mother and it made me realize that I needed to become a man and fend for myself," he says.
Nakeni, who is originally from Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape, is the first black young African from the Joburg streets to do tour guide at the Constitutional Hill.
He was spotted by a lady at school where he was a grade 12 learner.
"She was not aware that I was sleeping under the bridge however I wanted to make sure that teachers acknowledge my work".
"I became a tour guide as a result of conducting a research about the Freedom Charter and it was easy for me because I was now staying at Soweto Kliptown Youth (SKY) where I was referred by the same lady."
"It happened that they were looking for tour guides at the Constitutional Hill and the same lady informed me. I then went for an interview and everyone was looking good but to my surprise they called Bob Nameng who is taking care of us at SKY that I was the successful candidate" says the young man.
SKY is an NGO based at an informal settlement in Kliptown, taking care of the disadvantaged children.
Nakeni who is now clean from drugs says he came to Gauteng at the age of 16 with his savings. Today Nakeni runs his own NPO called Kliptown Innovative Group of Services although it's still new.
"I would like to change people's lives and make sure they have warm homes" he concludes.