From humble beginnings to community hero: the inspiring journey of Rusa's Prem Balram

THROUGH pursuing his passion to help and protect communities, Prem Balram, the founder and head of Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa), has made an indelible mark in the lives of others spanning over several decades.

- NADIA KHAN

BALRAM, seated middle, with his parents, Roy and Sita, and brothers, Suren, left, and Vinod. Suren is carrying their pet monkey, Chicco. BALRAM, second row, sixth from left, in Grade 8 at Verulam Secondary School.

(Supplied Supplied)

The 51-year-old shared his journey which stemmed from humble beginnings growing up on a farm in Hazelmere, near Verulam, to serving as a reservist for SAPS, and starting Rusa in June 1996.

Balram, who was born on October 15, 1974, said his mother gave birth to him on their home’s kitchen floor.

His parents, now late, were Roy Balram, who worked as a long-distance truck driver, and Sita, a housewife.

“Many years ago, my mom told me the story of my brothers being born in the hospital, but I was born on the kitchen floor. My dad was a long-distance driver, and he was generally away from home for a week or sometimes longer, at times. He was not at home when my mom went into labour. She said our neighbours did not have cars and that she gave birth to me on the floor. Eventually, one of the neighbours transported us to the hospital with his tractor.”

Balram said he, his parents and his two brothers, Suren (the eldest) and Vinod (the youngest), lived in a wood-and-iron dwelling. Initially, they did not have electricity and piped water.

“We had a kitchen and a room, which was divided by a curtain to make bedrooms for my parents, my brothers and I. We used oil or paraffin lamps, and collected water from a pond a few kilometres from our house. My brothers and I walked with the heavy buckets, but later built a cart to carry it. We also played with the cart, taking turns to sit in and go down the hills. We often went home quite bruised, but we had fun.