Why you should not support beggars in South Africa VIDEO

There are plenty of beggars in South Africa who have turned begging into a profession and begging is on the rise. Begging at street corners or traffic lights is a regular occurrence seen every day around the country.  There is no one particular race that outshines the beggars, Whites, Coloreds, Indians and blacks all beg for money, and some for food. 

The perception is that beggars are lazy and do not want to seek help and in some instances that is true. Often the beggars are addicted to drugs and alcohol and in a critical situation. Many youngsters have no education and work experience and are forced to beg. There are the unemployed who are not able to find a job, even though there are skills so turn to begging to feed families. Some of the circumstances as to why people land on the streets are outright disgusting, being thrown out by family. There are the beggars that fake disabilities hoping to play on the conscious of ordinary working people. 

Drug usage is a major problem among beggars. From healthy young children to elderly people, drugs and alcohol have been the source of survival and to sustain the habit, are forced to beg. Some beggars receive a paltry twenty rand a day while others can secure up to 2000 rand in one day. The amounts vary and more often than not, the money given to the beggars are used for alcohol and drugs. Many beggars are addicted to the South African drug Whonga that costs about 30 rand a hit. 

There are a few beggars who would like to stop what they are doing as they feel it is embarrassing and frightening but have nowhere to go. When asked if they would like to receive help, most refuse. Beggars turn their daily routine into a profession, and some associate it with having a job. 

Why you should not contribute to beggars is simply to stop the expansion of more people taking to the streets to survive. Begging has become an easy way to get money to support habit forming additions, contribute to laziness and criminal activities. The beggars are not the public’s responsibility but that of the government. When people continue to contribute to these homeless, drug and alcoholic people, they are expanding the problem. 

The government is ultimately responsible for supporting the homeless and unemployed. The government should be held accountable to support addictive habits through social security and places of rehabilitation. It is easy for the government to ignore the plight of the homeless and addicts when the public keep supplying money for drugs and food. 

It is a well-documented fact that there are thousands of homeless people in South Africa of all races and it is the public and churches that contribute to the welfare of these unfortunate people. It is commendable that the public and churches offer to assist yet, the government should intervene in this extreme situation.  The government has failed to curb the growth of beggars on South African streets and turning the country into another poorly governed African state.

Laura Oneale - published on South Africa Today – South Africa News