WeeklySA_AdminTIGHT-FISTED:Street beggars bemoan lack of empathy from their own who drive in flashy cars
By Ali Mphaki
They drive in the latest German models, but they will never give you a cent. Instead, what they good at is giving you those nasty looks like you are “the wretched of the earth”.
So say most of Jozi street beggars interviewed by Weekly SA Mirror this week, who bemoan the lack of empathy from especially the black motorist.
Leaving street beggars in a spin, they say, is that there is a huge number of black motorists on Jozi roads with serious street cred, a suggestion of some kind of a growing middle class, but when it comes to giving with an open heart, these come out last.
Shockingly is that black female drivers are the worst, they say. “They give you that stern non-nonsense ‘don’t bother me’ look,” says Mary Ngubeni, 45, who begs on the ever busy Malibongwe Road. The mother of four says generally she’s come to expect “nothing”, if anything, from black motorists.
Echoing her sentiments is Olga Mukoni, a mother of two who usually begs on Xavier Road in Ridgeway. “When it comes to our own black people, its dololo,” she says throwing he hands in despair while a baby cries on her back.
“I can even venture to say nine out of 10 times (cars) you get nothing from black motorists …and it is just the way it is,” says Mukoni, from Orange Farm, who says she’s been begging on the streets for 10 years. Looking “wild and withered in his attire”, Mike Mokgwesi, 49, who “hassles” on the notorious Jules Street in Jeppe, agrees but with a rider. “Why is it that there are no street beggars in the townships,” he asks. “These people (blacks) don’t care for you when you down and out.’
“It’s only about themselves and their nice cars,” he says. Mokgwesi is homeless and says he’s been on the streets “for as long as he can remember”.
For their sins, white motorists in Jozi should be raising the roofs and cranking their horns as they were rated as the second most giving on our roads.
“If it’s not food, then it’s some coins they will give you.’
“Yesterday a white man gave me a R200 note,” adds Mable Sihlangu, a mother of three usually seen on Joe Slovo Drive near Ellis Park. Interestingly, coming up tops as the “gift of the givers’ and as favourites among the street beggars were Indian motorists. Most street beggars said they found the magnanimity of Indian motorists humbling.
“It is worse when it is their Christmas (end of Ramadan or so) …we sure of plenty of goodies.
“…And they do it with alacrity,” said Ntate Sy Kubong, a permanent feature on Rifle Range near the Southgate Mall.
Most of those interviewed, however, agree street begging was no walk in the park, and they blame the skyrocketing unemployment rate which has been worsened by the devastating effects of the Corona virus. But some of the black motorists interviewed were philosophical about it, adding they would rather “teach a man to fish than give him a fish”.
“It’s not that we don’t want to lend a hand, these people should realize times are tough,” said Sipho Mnisi, who drives a BMW X5 from Randburg.
JMPD spokesman Wayne Minaar said since the Corona virus there’s been a noticeable increase of street beggars on Jozi roads.
