Booming begging hits Johannesburg

JOHANNESBURG – Johannesburg. Africa’s prime begging attraction.

A blind man is led by a “Good Samaritan” begging on his behalf, a woman with cupped hands carries a crying baby on her back, another displays a cardboard sign revealing his HIV positive status. These are typical sightings at intersections in South Africa’s biggest city where beggars seem to be competing with each other to produce original placards or find other creative ways of convincing weary motorists to give them money.”My cat arrested for eating neighbour’s chickens – please help with bail,” one poster states, while another declares: “Are you going to give me money or should I fake a limp. No bull$#!t.”These may attract many a chuckle – and definitely some small change – from passers-by, but to the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) it is no laughing matter.”We have to do something. More and more people from neighbouring countries are coming to Johannesburg to beg. There is a lot of money here; it is the richest city in Africa,” JMPD spokesman Wayne Minnaar told AFP.The police two weeks ago launched Operation Token Days, a 500-day campaign to wipe out crime and grime on Johannesburg’s streets.This includes picking up beggars and taking them to police stations to give them written warnings.”It is very difficult to police begging. We cannot treat these beggars like hardened criminals, we have to be sensitive toward them,” says Minnaar.”Some of them are blind, some are disabled. But the fact remains they are breaking a municipal bylaw. We cannot end up with a situation where you have more beggars than traffic lights,” he declares.But ask veteran beggar Rosie Mantanga about the police operation and her friendly face crumples up in a frown.The disabled 55-year-old woman has been begging in front of the offices of South Africa’s largest bank in an affluent and busy part of Johannesburg for the past 10 years, and she has no plans to move.Seated on a pile of folded cardboard boxes, wearing large round sunglasses and a bright orange dress, she waves at passers-by who respond with “Hi Rosie”, “How are you today, Rosie” and “How is my girlfriend today?””See, they love me. All of them. Especially my white customers, they love me very much. They give me money, food, even this dress. I am happy here,” she says with a beaming smile revealing a missing front tooth.Vendors are also a common sight at Johannesburg intersections but once motorists say they are not interested in buying clothing hangers, refuse bags, cellphone accessories, sunglasses, keyrings, lighters or glue, they often start begging.The flamboyant sunglasses salesmen would begin by saying, “Hey, Beautiful!” or “Miss California! Want some sunglasses?” After a rejection he would say: “Just give me some small change then.”Many an entrepreneur has set up window washing businesses next to busy roads with hand-written “I don’t do crime” signs advertising their service.They would eagerly wash the front window of a car at a red light hoping for payment in return.- Nampa-AFPThese are typical sightings at intersections in South Africa’s biggest city where beggars seem to be competing with each other to produce original placards or find other creative ways of convincing weary motorists to give them money.”My cat arrested for eating neighbour’s chickens – please help with bail,” one poster states, while another declares: “Are you going to give me money or should I fake a limp. No bull$#!t.”These may attract many a chuckle – and definitely some small change – from passers-by, but to the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) it is no laughing matter.”We have to do something. More and more people from neighbouring countries are coming to Johannesburg to beg. There is a lot of money here; it is the richest city in Africa,” JMPD spokesman Wayne Minnaar told AFP.The police two weeks ago launched Operation Token Days, a 500-day campaign to wipe out crime and grime on Johannesburg’s streets.This includes picking up beggars and taking them to police stations to give them written warnings.”It is very difficult to police begging. We cannot treat these beggars like hardened criminals, we have to be sensitive toward them,” says Minnaar.”Some of them are blind, some are disabled. But the fact remains they are breaking a municipal bylaw. We cannot end up with a situation where you have more beggars than traffic lights,” he declares.But ask veteran beggar Rosie Mantanga about the police operation and her friendly face crumples up in a frown.The disabled 55-year-old woman has been begging in front of the offices of South Africa’s largest bank in an affluent and busy part of Johannesburg for the past 10 years, and she has no plans to move.Seated on a pile of folded cardboard boxes, wearing large round sunglasses and a bright orange dress, she waves at passers-by who respond with “Hi Rosie”, “How are you today, Rosie” and “How is my girlfriend today?” “See, they love me. All of them. Especially my white customers, they love me very much. They give me money, food, even this dress. I am happy here,” she says with a beaming smile revealing a missing front tooth.Vendors are also a common sight at Johannesburg intersections but once motorists say they are not interested in buying clothing hangers, refuse bags, cellphone accessories, sunglasses, keyrings, lighters or glue, they often start begging.The flamboyant sunglasses salesmen would begin by saying, “Hey, Beautiful!” or “Miss California! Want some sunglasses?” After a rejection he would say: “Just give me some small change then.”Many an entrepreneur has set up window washing businesses next to busy roads with hand-written “I don’t do crime” signs advertising their service.They would eagerly wash the front window of a car at a red light hoping for payment in return.- Nampa-AFP

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