CONCERNED ASTON MANOR RESIDENT writes:
We, the legally tax-paying road users, are sick and tired of “road intersection sales sharks” (RISS) and beggars.
At some intersections I have already counted up to 15 hawkers (RISS) and three beggars at once.
Do we now understand the petty, unnecessary and unacceptable handbag and lap-top thefts at intersections?
Often, most evenings, you will find four beggars (one at each intersection entrance) at the corner of Monument and Dann roads, dressed in dark clothing and on their knees. This is ridiculous and dangerous.
Are the law enforces going to wait for a few accidents and maybe deaths before these idiots are removed? This means innocent and unsuspecting drivers will be held for manslaughter and go through mental traumatic hell, in such cases costing this country thousand to millions of rand again.
A few years ago we had the “dancing” chap at this same intersection who was forcibly removed and imprisoned at least three times. What now is so special about these idiots?
Why do we have flea-markets in South Africa? Why do we allow our country to be run down to a third grade world level? Look at what is happening to the lower end of Vlei Road and old Pretoria Road with all the illegal traders.
They are probably from third world Northern African countries and used to this type of trade. Why should we put up with this and have our standards lowered? Rather open an area for a new, controlled flea-market in Kempton Park (possibly this intersection), or get the forces to impound their trade goods and fine them.
Clean the area of unwanted trade and filth which is left behind. Our public should not support them and also be fined for pulling onto pavements in doing so.
I plead to our public road users not to support these people in unsafe areas and also to the metro police and police to clean our once beautiful city of these people with dangerous acts in dangerous areas.
Chief Supt Wilfred Kgasago, metro police spokesman, replies:
The metro police wholly concurs with the concerned citizen in respect of persons illegally occupying our intersections.
We said it before, we reiterate the plea that hawkers and beggars will only target places where their efforts bring them benefits – let us not give anything to these people and purchase nothing from them.
The danger of the criminal element blending with genuine beggars and striking when least expected by the motorists, is a danger we have mentioned many a times before. Regardless of how humane you are, don’t be duped into providing a sad-looking person surrounded by hungry-looking small kids with money or food, as that action will come back and bite you big-time in the future.
Those people are transgressing both our by-laws and the National Road Traffic Act thus, are not supposed to be lingering within and around the intersections. Your kind heartedness will only bring misery to motorists and unnecessary challenges to law enforcers.
Law enforcement agencies are doing their utmost in alleviating the problem by either chasing them away or arresting and confiscating the hawkers’ wares. The greatest challenge is that some of them pay the fine (R200) and simply go back to the intersections.
Most of the beggars that are arrested are foreigners, some of whom possess no valid form of identification. Some are given to Lindela Repatriation Centre for deportation and others simply cannot be kept in the police cells for protracted periods, as there is prioritisation based on the gravity of the offences – with limited space, it is a huge task to accommodate persons in that class of offences.
While law enforcers will do their best in stamping out the problem, it is paramount that motorists assist us by never ever supporting hawkers by providing food or money to beggars at intersections.
Keep your windows up at such intersections and wear a very nonchalant look to make it clear to those people that you will not buy or part with anything for them. We shall greatly appreciate this kind of assistance from motorists in helping our earnest endevours to eradicate this problem.
