Thanks for the complimentary column, “What a City, What People” in the September 11 issue, praising the people of Benoni.
I live in Benoni, but work in other towns of Ekurhuleni and I agree with you.
People of Benoni are special.
They love animals, give to charity and demand higher living standards.
Two issues at Benoni’s two shopping centres upset me: the car guards at Lakeside Mall and Northmead Square.
All smart in their yellow Nogada uniforms, they pay anything from R30 to R50 per day to Nogada, to stand in an appointed place in the parking lot for the privilege of looking after cars and assisting shoppers to carry their parcels.
Hoping that we, the public, respond with a gratuity to them.
Nogada obviously has some arrangement with the shopping centre and profits enormously, while these car guards stand for eight to 10 hours in hot and cold weather, sometimes making R5 for the day after paying off Nogada.
I am sure they do make some money from us, the shoppers, who give the gratuity so that they continue to work.
Also, most of the car guards are immigrants from Congo.
Most of them have no other means to earn any money and Nogada must be complimented in coming up with the idea to give these foreigners a means to earn some little money in return for their effort.
What I believe to be more fair would be the shopping centres erecting signs in the parking lot advising the public that these car guards work for gratuities only and that their yellow jackets are marked “WE WORK FOR TIPS ONLY”.
Shoppers will then realise car guards rely solely on the gratuity and won’t be assumed that they are being paid or supervised by a security organisation because of the yellow uniforms which Nogada loans them on a daily basis.
In a way it is a front and puts cash money in the hands of the shopping centre and Nogada; taking from the poor and giving to the rich.
Send your letters to bctletters@caxton.co.za.
