‘Flats Rhythm’ premieres this weekend: Meet lead actor Austwille Buffel, who turned his addiction into dance

AUSTWILLE Buffel’s rise from addiction to recovery is at the heart of Flats Rhythm, a new locally produced film shining a light on real-life stories from Roodepan. His journey – marked by hardship, resilience and a renewed purpose – has positioned him as one of the region’s most compelling voices for youth facing substance abuse and social struggle.

Born and raised in the tight‑knit neighbourhood of Greenpoint, Austwille grew up under the watchful eye of a single mother who juggled multiple jobs to keep a roof over their heads. “I never knew my dad,” he recalls, “but my uncle André stepped in and became the father figure I needed.”

Those early years at Greenpoint Primary and later at William Pescod High School were filled with both love and hardship. At 16, Austwille fell into a 16‑year spiral of active addiction that brought him to the brink of death more than once.

“I hit rock bottom so many times I lost count,” he says, his voice steady despite the memories. “I was a ghost in my own life.” The turning point came when a court case threatened to erase his fragile recovery, and a devastating fire claimed his home and car, forcing him and his mother to move back in with his grandmother.

In the ashes, he cried out, “Father, how are You going to change this? Was I born just to become nothing?” The answer, he believes, was a quiet conviction that God had a bigger plan – one that stretched beyond his pain.

Out to spark hope

Today, Austwille is a recovering addict who chooses to share his story, not for applause, but to spark hope in the youth of Roodepan, Greenpoint, Galeshewe and beyond. “Don’t underestimate people struggling with addiction,” he urges.

“They are people. Addiction takes over, but recovery is real. Change is possible.”

His journey from the shadows of substance abuse to the spotlight of the dance floor has become his own form of freedom. When he isn’t speaking to community groups, you’ll find him moving to the rhythm of street beats, letting his body tell the story his words sometimes can’t.

That rhythm now echoes in the new film “Flats Rhythm”, premiering on Friday, December 12 at Roodepan High at 6pm and Saturday, December 13 at Greenpoint High at 6pm.

The movie isn’t just entertainment – it’s a raw, unfiltered glimpse into the lives that pulse through urban flats. For Austwille, the project is personal. “This film is testimony, healing, proof that stories from our flats, our streets, our communities deserve to be seen,” he says.

As the community gathers for the premiere, Austwille will be there – not just as Jerome, but as a living reminder that no matter how deep the struggle, there’s always a way back, a new chapter waiting to be written.

His message is simple: “You are not defined by your past. You are defined by what you do today.”