‘I had my first drink at the age of 9’ — Zoleka Mandela celebrates 12 years of sobriety. Congratulations are in order for Zoleka Mandela as this year marks 12 years of her being sober.

Over the years, the author has been candid about her more than decade-long drug and alcohol abuse and how it all stemmed from her attempts to numb her suicidal thoughts after being sexually and physically abused from the age of four years till her teenage years.

Zoleka went down memory lane sharing an image of herself smoking a cigar, captured ten years ago, reflecting on how she took her first drag of a cigarette at the age of 13 and her last one in 2012.

“I had my first drink at the age of 9 and my last one and the last cocaine binge at the age of 30. I’m so excited about celebrating my 12th year of SOBRIETY on August 11. I literally can’t wait!!!” she wrote.

Zoleka, who published a book in 2013 titled When Hope Whispers, has been able to pick up the pieces of her life again since suffering from substance abuse.

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A post shared by Zoleka Mandela (@zolekamandela)

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In another Instagram post, Zoleka explained that she was candid about her healing journey because speaking about it helped.

“I’ve found that even in my own vulnerability, speaking out has actually always helped me. We feel less alone when we know of each other’s pain and darkness and I have learned that you can’t do secrets and lies when you’re clean and sober and wanting to stay that way,” she wrote.

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