The initiative launched by Bedfordview residents to rid the area of beggars is underway and residents are urged to support it.
Ms Sherri-Lyn Croucamp recently published a list of organisations devoted to helping beggars, the homeless and destitute. She said donations will be correctly used by these organisations to assist those in need.
“Additionally, an SMS donation facility is also being investigated. The proceeds of which will be used to assist the truly homeless and destitute,” she said in her post to residents.
She said, “We urge [residents] to actively support this responsible, right initiative set up for the right reasons. We have the support of all key departments and organisations, including the SAPS, the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) and the Bedfordview Community Policing Forum (BCPF).”
Ms Croucamp said the initiative was resident-driven and urged anyone interested in getting involved to get in touch.
The ward 20 councillor, Clr Jill Humphreys, said she is fully behind the initiative and the results it aims to achieve.
“It is always great to see residents coming together towards a common goal. This is a residents’ initiative and I support it in many ways. I do hope that other initiatives can come from it,” she said.
Another resident involved in steering the initiative, Mr Leon De Bruin, said by rather supporting the organisations and not giving money to beggars, residents and motorists would be helping many people in need and not just a few.
He said one of the main reasons beggars should not be supported was that they compromise the safety of residents and their families.
Ms Croucamp said most of the beggars on the street are not destitute as they can make up to R500 a day.
She said some of the facts surrounding beggars were as follows; “Begging on the streets of Bedfordview is so lucrative that job offers have been declined by beggars. They use money given to them to support their drug and alcohol habits. Beggars have killed each other in turf wars. The SAPS has proof that hijacking syndicates use beggars as informants.”
Ms Croucamp said begging is created and sustained by the residents themselves.
Some of the facilities available to assist include the Methodist Church soup kitchen and the Bedford Chapel soup kitchen, both of which are located in Bedfordview.
Institutions dealing with drug dependency include the House of Mercy and the Elim Clinic.
Residents are encouraged to phone their relevant sector numbers to report beggars seen at intersections.
