Drum – 08 August 2019

http://www.drum.co.za8 AUGUST (^2019) | 7
‘Youdon’tjudgea person
becausethey’vesinned
differentlythanyou’
MARTIN
DE
KOCK,
SUPPLIED,
FACEBOOK/CASLINE.CAS
the case was going on so thefir
thing I asked him was, ‘Did youd
it?’, and he said ‘no’. From thew
told me, I took his word forit.Hetold
me stuff about the case I didn’tknow.
“We were friends before we started
dating and he opened up to me.
“I was there for him and took care of
him. After a while I got to see the type of
person he is. I saw he’s a beautiful person
and I started falling in love.”
Cazo’s love for Brickz didn’t waver,
even after he was found guilty.
“I feel like all relationships have their
ups and downs and we’re just going
through a downhill right now. I can’t
leave him because times are hard right
now. We’ve had beautiful times together
so why should I leave him because he’s
going through a dark phase?”

S

HE can’t wait for Brickz to

be released from jail so they

can spend time together.

“When it comes to us deal-

ing with him being in prison,

we take it a day at a time,”

Cazo says.

“I’m not a negative person. I have hope

he’ll come back, I don’t think he’s going

to be there all these years. I understand

the situation he’s in.”

The couple keep their love flaming

through love letters, and she’s also a

regular Sunday visitor to the prison.

“I get excited for Sundays, that’s our

favourite day.”

Dating someone behind bars is tough

but she knew what she was getting her-

self into before Brickz was convicted.

The lovebirds were staying together at

his grandmother’s house before he was

sentenced, Cazo reveals.

“There were times when he’d go away

for work, so I’m just handling this as if

he’s gone away. I think I’m a strong per-

son, it’s not like he has passed away.

He’s still alive, he is still healthy, we talk,

so it’s not like he’s never coming back.

“This is just a little phase we’re going

through.”

Cazo is a relatively unknown aspiring

rapper and model who’s been trying to

make a name for

herself in the in-

dustry.

But she’s not

hoping to gain

fam e from h er

relationship with

Brickz, sources close to the couple say.

She just loves him for him.

“She’s very quiet and has a humble

personality,” they tell DRUM. She doesn’t

focus on the fact that he’s a convicted

rapist.

According to one friend, Cazo is help-

ing Brickz work on himself while he’s

behind bars.

“They’re very close and they both are

really focused on protecting each other

from what people might say.”

Cazo is determined to stay strong for

her man. “He’s behind bars, so I try to

put myself in his shoes so I can be strong

for him. It won’t be any help to him if

I’m emotional and weak.

“I make sure that when I’m at home, I

stay busy so I don’t have to think too

uchaboutwhat he’s going

rough.”

RICKZ was found

guilty of raping his

then 17-year-old

niece at his rented

house in 2013. He

was sentenced to 15

arsin prison in 2017 and re-

ased on R80 000 bail in April

t year, pending an appeal

ainst his rape conviction.

Butafter losing the appeal he

s sent back to the Krugersdorp

sonto resume his sentence. He

l beeligible for half-sentence

olein 2023.

heknows everything there is

know about Brickz and the case

t ledto his incarceration, Cazo

s. “I know the true story behind

l. The reason I’m still with him

is becauseI love him.

“Idon’tknow why I should turn my

back on him when the whole world has

turned their back on him. You don’t

judge a person because they’ve sinned

differently than you.”

Her family and friends have been sup-

portive of their relationship. “There was

a time when I lost a few friends, but they

were closed-minded and can’t think for

themselves. The people who were in my

life part-time started working their

way out of it. I’m

happy for that be-

cause it helped

me grow.”

While he serves

his time in prison,

Brickz’s friends

tell us he is no longer angry about the

conviction. “He is at peace.”

Cazo is proud of her man. “Sipho is a

loving person. He has an open and pure

heart. He’s easily accessible and I think

that has been his weakness for a while.”

The time behind bars has taught him

that “sometimes people can do bad

things, but God will always turn a situa-

tion around for good”.

Brickz, meanwhile, is keeping busy by

working on music. Friends say the fallen

rapper is writing every day while also

making use of the prison’s educational

facilities.

“He’s doing all the subjects available

there and he recently passedhismaths

exams with 62%,” they reveal.“He’s on

track to graduate in August.”

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