Windscreen washers comment on motorists’ grievances

The NEWS spoke to some of the windscreen washers about the grievances from motorists.

Mr Sibusiso Nkosi* said he started working as a windscreen washer in 2012. At the time he worked at a different intersection in Johannesburg.

“One day I was the area in a taxi and I saw these guys washing windscreens. Because I had problems at home, as I don’t have parents, I decided to join them. People accuse us of a lot of things. I’m not saying those things don’t happen, but usually it is people who are not even a part of us that commit crimes,” he said.

Mr Nkosi said the people terrorising the motorists are people disguised as windscreen washers. But, according to him, because they are always at the intersections, legitimate windscreen washers are often seen as the culprits.

“When we see people commit a crime at this intersection, we always report the crime to the first police vehicle we see. But most of the time the police don’t pay attention to us as they think we are the ones committing these crimes. This makes it hard to report a crime. We are also abused by some motorists. If someone is robbed, they stop here, beat and shoot at us,” he added.

Mr Eric Mtshwelo, who is also a windscreen washer at the Bruma intersection, admitted that it is possible that some of the people working at the intersections could commit crime. He said if this has happened, he has never seen it.

“I work here until 5 or 6pm and I don’t know what happens after some of us leave,” he said.

He said not all of them are drug addicts, as they are painted out to be. According to him, some of the people at the intersections have families to support with the money obtained from washing windscreens.

“I have a place to stay where I pay rent, buy food and small personal items because to me, this is a job,” he said.

“Most of us don’t like being here because we are insulted and beaten. If I could get another job, I would leave this place,” said Mr Thulani Mthethwa.

He started washing windscreens in 2008, obtained a job a few months later, but had to return after he lost his job. Washing windows is the only way he can put food on the table, pay for rent and to have a place to stay.

Constable Mpho Mashakane, from the Cleveland SAPS, said they can only arrest people if a crime occurs at the intersection. She urged people to open cases in order for arrests to be made.

“Whenever we patrol the area, the SAPS always chases the windscreens washers away. We cannot arrest them for washing windows as we don’t have anything to charge them with,” said Const Mashakane.

“The SAPS can only take action if and when a crime is committed,” she added.

She advised residents to contact the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department’s (JMPD) bylaws unit, as they are able to arrest those at the intersections.

The JMPD’s spokesperson, Chief Superintended Wayne Minnaar, said they do send out officers to arrest windscreen washers but the police releases them.

“The only reason why the windscreen washers are there is because of the money they get. Motorists should stop giving money to the window washers, then we would not have a problem,” he said.

*Name changed to protect identities.