Beggars get aggressive

A violent mugging last week and a recent spate of “attempted hijackings” in Ballito, all by beggars, has sparked a public outcry over the escalating number of needy troublemakers in town.

On Monday night, February 16, a businesswoman from Cape Town was stabbed in the Ballito Junction shopping centre car park after having dinner at Mamma G’s.

She gave a beggar her left-over pizza upon which he grabbed her handbag and stabbed her in the arm when she would not let go.

“This is the third mugging I’ve heard of in a week, this is crazy,” said Michelle Duffield on Facebook.

The Courier also reported on what was believed to have been an attempted hijacking at the Ballito Virgin Active parking lot.

Four people reported last week having been approached by an Indian man at the Ballito Virgin Active parking lot, asking to use a cell phone and to be taken to Stanger, claiming to have been mugged and beaten up.

Lt Col Dieter Fittkau of Umhlali SAPS said beggars prey on people’s conscience and they will stick around for as long as people give them food and money.

He said people would not give anything to beggars if they realised the full impact of their actions.

“People do not realise that the consequences of their sympathy has a far greater impact than the temporary soothing of their guilt,” he said.

Fittkau said there are social work departments that deal with beggars, and people who wanted to help should rather volunteer their services or donate to relevant charities.

he said the rapid expansion of Ballito offered more opportunities for beggars and criminals but attributed most crimes to people’s own negligence.

“People should pay more attention to their surroundings,” said Fittkau.

Considering that no actual hijackings have been reported, Fittkau cautioned that what people assumed was not necessarily what was happening and there was no need to spread panic.