WATCH: Man pretends to be crippled to solicit donation

Video footage showing a man acting pretending to be crippled to solicit donation has been making the rounds on social media.

This has led to some social media users arguing this was the reason they didn’t give to street beggars, and fed to a stereotype that crippled beggars were con artists as opposed to the disabled deserving of compassion, Rekord Centurion reported.

The footage was taken in Cape Town. It shows a man changing his walk – twisting his legs and hand to make them appear deformed.

He can be heard saying he is the “best in the world”.

According to research by Solidarity’s Helping Hand, a majority of beggars not only use money for drugs, but also reject job offers.

“Twenty percent of the money beggars receive goes towards food while the rest is spent on drugs,” said Solidarity senior researcher Nicolien Welthagen.