How the VAT increase affects those who look after our valuables
Review asked several car guards if the recent VAT increase is affecting the amount of tips they get from customers.
Delicia Lamola is a local car guard who says the amount of tips they receive has decreased since VAT increased
POLOKWANE- The rise in inflation is a bitter pill to swallow for all and regardless of how much money you do or do not have, fact is, prices are on the increase and the price of living is increasing.
According to a recent study by BusinessTech, a poll found that most South African motorists tip car guards R5 for keeping watch over their vehicles – but at least one in every five bite their thumb at the prospect of giving them anything at all.
So Review set out in search of answers, and asked car guards if the recent inflation spike is affecting the amount of tips they receive and what the going rate is as payment for watching someone’s car.
Tatenda Tichagwa, “It usually goes up and down depending on the customers and what they are willing to give. It is not an average thing because one day might produce a lot and the next day, you get nothing. It also depends on the time of the month. Toward the end of the month tips decrease but when people get paid some tend to give us bigger tips.”Erica du Plessis “The tips we receive definitely went down somewhat. But I am still thankful for each contribution that our clients make. It is what I survive on and therefore I remain thankful even if it did go down.”Arthur Theron, “The tips are not at all like it used to be, it has definitely gone down and there really is no average anymore, because you get friendly people that still gives us good tips and others that simply say that they also do not have money to give us a tip.”Enoch Tichagwa, “The average tip fluctuates up and down and I cant give a estimate of how much most people give because it differs. Some will give R10, others a couple of cents yet others just apologise for not having anything to give. However I am very grateful for any tip, and want to thank everyone that give us tips. I don’t have complaints.”Len Cloete, “There is a definite impact on the amount that people are willing to give to us and it is definitely related to the recent price increase. When living expenses increase, people do not have money to give tips to any service providers. It is hard on us, but what can we do, it is our job and we have families to take care of. Something is better than nothing.”Enoch Marofu, “I think it all depends on the customer and therefore you can never say before hand. Tips used to be very good but now it has gone down substantially. It makes a big difference cause we also have to pay more for food and necessities, however we don’t have the income we used to have. I think a lot of people are in similar situations.”Agnes Kgole, “During the weekend, people tend to be more giving than during the week. It is also busier and therefore more people come and go and chances are that we will make a little more money. I do think that there has been a drop in the average tip that people are willing to give us and some people do not want to give anything anymore because living expenses are so high.”Bonang Dotototo, “It is a funny thing because it is never the same, sometimes people might give you big tips on one day and the next day you don’t get any tips at all. It all depends on how much money people have on them because sometimes they don’t have any cash and we cant use a card machine for tips, otherwise I think tips would be much more.”Calafornia Ragale, “Everything has become so expensive that people cant afford to give us good tips anymore, it has definitely decreased. Also people are no longer using cash but do payments with cards and don’t carry cash on them so they cant give us a proper tip.”Delicia Lamola, ” During the week I do not make much and especially now, people apologize and say that they simply do not have any money to give seeing as everything is on the rise. I can’t complain because getting something is better than getting nothing and I need to make something to provide for my family and children. Without a income I will not be able to care for them.”
