JOBURG – The public should take the blame for perpetuating begging in the streets. This is according to Metro police spokesperson Wayne Minaar, who said bylaws to remove the beggars from the street were difficult to enforce, as some members of the public gave money to beggars.
Minnar’s comment was made in light of the story about a legless beggar in Houghton, who duped motorists into believing that he was disabled. A video of the beggar was recorded on a security guard’s cellphone, and it has subsequently gone viral online.
He could not specifically comment on the ‘legless’ beggar story because he had only just heard about it.
Minnar said, “There are people who beg and the reason why they beg is because people give them money.”
He added that Metro police have a “huge task”, as they continuously have to remove beggars from the streets.
Minnar condemned the practice by adults who use children to beg for money.
He said, “When we find them in the street we take them to the shelter provided by the City of Johannesburg in Hillbrow. But, the problem is that these people often go back to the street. This is one of the bylaws which is very difficult to enforce.”
