Beggars are getting aggressive, says resident
A resident said something needs to be done to remove aggressive beggars from street corners.
DISGRUNTLED residents have been venting their displeasure on social media about street beggars and calling for action to be taken to rid the area of the social ill.
According to resident, Wayne Grundy, the biggest complaints have been about beggars at the intersections of King Dinizulu (Berea) and Hunt Roads and King Dinizulu and Peter Mokaba (Ridge) Roads.
“The beggars are banging on people's cars and pulling their fingers across their throats in a cut-throat fashion. at people that fail to give them a tip or anything of value,” said Grundy.
He said one disgruntled resident said one of them even tried to stick his hand through his car window to grab his bag, but when he tried to lay a charge at the Mayville Police Station, the police said the beggar didn't steal anything so there was nothing they could do.
“I find this troubling. I fear that very soon they will pick on the wrong mother, sister or wife and someone is going to get severely beaten or even killed. I deal with tourists at my guesthouse and they are disgusted that nothing is being done. Children are lying around all over the place, they hassle people outside both Woolworths on Problem Mkhize Road and Bulwer Road. A Berea group did organise to have some of the beggars that were causing a nuisance at the intersection of Essenwood and St Thomas Roads removed, but they soon returned,” he said.
eThekwini Head of Communications, Tozi Mthethwa said: “We encourage the public to report these instances to our 24-hour communication centre on 031 361 0000 for immediate responses. Begging on a public road is a by-law offence and anyone arrested for this offence is taken to the nearest police station and the matter then no longer falls within the municipality’s jurisdiction.”
