Krugersdorp and its beggars

Over the last couple of weeks, the begging situation in Krugersdorp has escalated enormously.

At almost every major intersection in town, you will now find at least three people begging.

Some have even started getting creative and beg for funding for a school rugby tour. And when you think about it, this boy was begging for funds for his tour last year too! It makes you wonder – when is this elusive tour going to take place?

Others dress up as funny characters and say they are getting married and need funds to support their wives, yet when you look around, none of this particular ‘bacherlor’s’ friends are around, laughing at his roadside ‘humiliation’.

Then you get those who do not beg in disguise. They genuinely beg to stay alive with whatever means necessary.

Some are addicts (it does not take a rocket scientist to figure that out) while others are alcoholics and some just look like life dealt them some very bad cards.

My point is, there are a lot of beggars in Krugersdorp and society needs to start figuring out what to do with them.

Why society? Because this is not a personal problem a man or woman is dealing with. The moment they start taking their plight to the streets, they place their burdens on society for help.

But that is where another problem comes in. How do we help people who cannot even help themselves?

My argument can go on forever, but I would like for us, as a community, to firstly start talking about it.

Send your thoughts to me via email to krugersdorpnews@caxton.co.za.

Let’s start talking, Krugersdorp.