Bergies,
Vagrants, Homeless,Strollers, Car Guards, Beggars - whatever we have learnt to
call them, they are all around us. Vagrants and homeless people will hang
around in one place and will either sleep in a night shelter or out in an open
area protected from the elements, a stroller will move from place to place, do
odd jobs and move on to the next area. We “see” them on the train singing, on
street corners, in fact anywhere there are people or regular movement. They are
young and old, moms, dads, even entire families who each occupy a corner -
waiting for the traffic to come to a stop before approaching the often blank
faced motorists at the traffic light or hurrying pedestrians for money or food.
Often they don’t verbalize their need – an outstretched hand, pleading eyes,
and sometimes a makeshift sign spell out the immediate need.
It
is not uncommon for vagrants to target people who have helped them out of pity
ones before. They hang around the shop and when they see “their” benefactor
approaching the shop they intercept them with their “own shopping list”. My
colleagues and I often observed a young lady with her 4 young kids – all under
the age of 12. Her place of work: a corner on a busy 4 way stops. She stands with
her youngest child on her hip and as soon as the traffic comes to a stop she
would walk up the road, waving at the drivers while on the other corners the
other 3 young kids (when they are around) would approach drivers of other cars
or passing pedestrians for handouts. Begging is the norm, it has become second
nature to them. On occasion we chatted to the kids who told us that they travel
by train to Observatory from the Cape Flats to beg with their mom. One day, my
colleague gave the dad (who is normally never around and just happened to be
there) a few slices of bread which were quickly wolfed down without any thought
being given to his wife and youngest child nearby.
I have observed that some homeless people go
to bed early - if you were to walk down Lansdowne road Claremont, you would see
them cleaning up their sleeping area and getting ready to settle down for the
night in any available space they can find. Some vagrants do have their
dedicated space they go back to every night- in alleys or simply in front of a
shop or door. Store owners have unwittingly come to see the advantage of having
a “security guard” right on their doorstep, while for most owners the stench
left behind is comprehensible, and sees them actively trying to discourage and
chase away these homeless souls. Off course, when the shop owners come to work
the next day these people are long gone. Most homeless people have a regular
sleeping spot which they see as theirs or those who can afford it sleeps in a
night shelter where they pay about R10 for a bed for the night.
However,
not all homeless people are happy-go-lucky. Some are loud, disrespectful, rude
and have absolutely no respect for people or their donations of food. I have
seen and heard about food being dumped in the nearest bin or in the street–
their frustration evident as the withdrawal symptoms demand a top up of
alcohol. Who knows what emotions they hope to suppress -perhaps too dull the
pain of a bad memory or of poor choices made? Unfortunately for the vagrants
their behaviour led to people turning a blind eye to their plight. Some car
guards have adopted a pro active approach and demand money from drivers as they
pull out of parking bays at malls, directing them in a half drunk stupor and
the drivers are left to wonder if their cars were guarded. In the end, their
methods are all justifiable to them I suppose – they need to receive something
to eat from someone, if only these beggars could try and find a regular job
even if it means sweeping the streets.
Which is more rewarding -begging on the streets or doing a regular job? If given an opportunity some beggars would probably want to return to a normal lifestyle. However the majority however find begging on the street and moving around more appealing than having to deal with social issues.
No comments:
Post a Comment