Video reveals the ‘hunchback’ of Melville
MELVILLE - The poor beggar at Fourth Avenue intersection caught on camera practicing his walk.
A video posted on YouTube has exposed Melville’s ‘hunchback’ to be an underhanded actor eking out his living from unsuspecting drivers.
The beggar, who is often seen in front of May’s Chemist (at the Main Street and Fourth Avenue intersection), was caught on camera with his face exposed in a ‘dress rehearsal’; practicing his ‘hunched’ walk and disfigured arm, and putting on his costume for a hard day’s ‘work’.
While this man was no doubt unscrupulous, there is the broader question of what the community can do to address this problem.
“The more people that move into an area, the more you will have vagrancy. We can’t really get rid of them [the vagrants] because they have nowhere to go but we can try to minimise disturbances,” said Tim Truluck, councillor of Ward 117, who also works with the Rosebank Homeless Association.
“This is a problem on both the provincial and on the city level,” said Truluck. “The province has left the issue to city council but the municipality’s displaced people unit is understaffed and overworked.”
So what proactive stance can residents take?
Do not give money to people begging at traffic lights, especially in the suburbs, as this encourages them to return.
When hiring labourers for on-going home renovations, ensure that the workers associated with your project are not sleeping in the streets/parks/velds nearby to save on travel costs.
Residents should also take notice of the street people in their community. Social worker Patricia Eatock advises that details should be recorded, such as where the street person can be found. Submit these details to a region’s human development office so they can offer assistance.
See the video of Melville’s ‘hunchback’ at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CspKUios5SA
Details: Region B Human Development Office 011 718 9665/011 477 2850, 35 Symonds Street, Auckland Park
