CAR guards who patrol parts of Swapo Road (Broadway) and Adelaide Thambo (Kensington) Drive have spoken out to clear up confusion surrounding their new uniforms. Last month, the Broadway Business Forum (BBF) provided uniforms for car guards patrolling an area in order to take a stance against vagrants in the area. However, some residents have been tipping less because they believe the car guards are getting a stipend for their work.

Several concerned car guards, made up of mainly refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, met with the Northglen News this week to clear up the confusion. Charles Dania, who has been a car guard for more than four years, said people had been tipping as little as 50 cents since an article appeared in the newspaper about the issuing of new uniforms.

“We want to thank the people who support us, but we want them to know we are not earning a salary. We were issued uniforms and are ambassadors for the BBF, but we depend on the tips we receive every day. Before, there were too many car guards, some of them were vagrants who were harassing visitors to the area and the forum wanted to change that,” he said.

Candace Grondein of the forum explained that in the past, residents, retailers and customers had complained they felt threatened by the vagrants.

“They were in-your-face and extremely intimidating. In some cases, when people refused to give them tips, they would threaten them with physical violence. We decided as the business forum that something needed to be done. We felt that it was way too easy for vagrants to buy one of the bibs and pretend to be car guards. Anyone visiting the precinct will now know who the proper car guards are and who to tip,” she said.