Zoleka Mandela has overcome many hardships to come out as someone many people look up to for inspiration. The 37 year old has turned her life around and using it as a lesson to others. Zoleka Mandela reveals shocking 17 year battle with drugs and alcohol.
“I had my first drink at the age of 9. By the age of 13 I was an alcoholic and a cigarette smoker, that led to experimenting with marijuana at 13, then laced weed, ecstasy, magic mushrooms, CAT, heroine, prescription drugs and a decade long addiction to cocaine that gave me the high I was looking for,” Zoleka revealed.
Zoleka shed light on her darker times saying she had become suicidal and depressed. “I became violent and emotionally abusive towards others, participated in criminal activities,” she said.
On the pain she caused her family and loved ones, thew two time breast cancer survivor says, “I may be well into my recovery but the actual damage, humiliation, disrespect and pain I have caused my family and children remains irreparable.”