Cops raid street coners of child beggars

genetic

genetic

Honorary Master
Joined
Apr 26, 2008
Messages
39,163
Reaction score
33,816
Location
/\/￣￣￣\/\
Source: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20100813144438489C716912

Thirteen-year-old *Veronica was one of many street children taken from their parents on Friday at begging spots at intersections in Pretoria.

Across the road from the Menlyn Park shopping centre Veronica's father, *John, a Mozambican citizen, was surprised when a cavalcade of metro police and social development officials came to a sharp stop next to where he and his daughter were sitting under a tree.

Plying his trade as a shoe repairer, his red eyes began to spill tears as he was told his daughter would not be going home with him but to a place of safety.

The joint operation is part of a clamp-down on beggars who bring their children to sit next to them on the busy roads while appealing to passers-by for small change.

Social development official, Teddy Gomba, said the parents would not be arrested but would also not be able to take their children home until they could prove that their circumstances had changed and there was no risk of bringing their children to "work" again.

He said there was an increase in children being used as "emotional bait" to lure motorists into giving them money.

"The area has experienced a high number of people who are using children," he said adding that the raid was purely to uphold the rights of the children.

Earlier another woman fell to her knees as officials tried to unstrap her baby from her back.

At first the child appeared confused but after she was freed broken biscuits fell to the floor and she was dragged away as the sound of her sobs matched her mothers.

Only blocks away in Sunnyside a blind woman with an 18-year old, a 5-year old, and a toddler were also taken away surrounded by government officials and a huddle of cameramen and journalists.

The woman did not know which way to turn as she could not see where they wanted to take her children.
Click to expand...

I feel for these children, but they're are extorted and trafficked as emotional bait on motorists, and it's getting out of hand now.

I'm glad officials are doing something about it!
 
there was a policeman at one of our school PTA meetings earlier this year or last year and he spoke exactly about that and said that children should be in school and if they are caught on the street they and their parents would be in trouble.
 
waynegohl said:
there was a policeman at one of our school PTA meetings earlier this year or last year and he spoke exactly about that and said that children should be in school and if they are caught on the street they and their parents would be in trouble.
Click to expand...

What gets me is motorists who give these kids money. They seem to think that they're "helping" these kids by doing so when, in fact, their 'good deed' does the exact opposite. Ever heard of supply and demand? That's right, you're adding to the problem.

I'm glad that the police are doing something about it. Hopefully these kids will have a better future in school than on the side of the road.
 
yip, you make a good point Lycanthrope but sometimes it seems that the police just pay lip service and may do the job for a day or two then they disappear.
 
I'm more inclined to give the kids food, even if it means me stopping at a garage to pick up some pies. Giving them money and you know its going to support a drug or solvent habit.

Its really a sad state of society. We haven't got enough resources to help destitute children who have families let alone the one's without.
 
The only time I give money to children on the side of the road is those that have the dustbin bags collecting your trash. Otherwise no one gets my money at an intersection.. Well I suppose unless I get robbed..
 
The trauma of being dragged away from your parent as a child by strangers is 1000000000000000 times worse than being there simply to envoke a little emotion from passers by. These children and their parents are both in the same pot, they are beggars and most times are starving. Metro can go and stab themselves in the heart for this I couldn't care less.
 
Nothxkbi said:
The trauma of being dragged away from your parent as a child by strangers is 1000000000000000 times worse than being there simply to envoke a little emotion from passers by. These children and their parents are both in the same pot, they are beggars and most times are starving. Metro can go and stab themselves in the heart for this I couldn't care less.
Click to expand...

Yes and the kids will grow up to be beggars and they'll get kids who will end up being beggars.

It's about the kids not getting educated and hence not being contributing members of society. I'm afraid you completely missed the point ;)
 
I dunno... as much as I feel sad that these kids are being dragged away from their parents, I also feel that these parents deserve this for exploiting their children in this way!

But can we honestly say that every single one of them are dragging their kids along to play on people's emotions to cough up some cash? or are some of these parents taking their kids along because they really have no where else to go, that these parents want to have them nearby so that they know they are safer near with them than with someone in the same boat who could molest, kidnap or kill them!...

This all boils down to a bigger problem and the finger points directly at government!
 
bullfrog said:
Yes and the kids will grow up to be beggars and they'll get kids who will end up being beggars.

It's about the kids not getting educated and hence not being contributing members of society. I'm afraid you completely missed the point ;)
Click to expand...

The whole "Best man for the job" thing that went out the window with apartheid, and every lowly educated Sipho, Brightness, and Mavis getting top jobs in governments, in turn placing their pals into education positions... Has resulted in this entire mess! Education is going down the drain, creating poverty as it goes along adding to these people on street corners and so on...

I'm really not sure how I feel about this issue... even the crappy education currently being dished out is still something, and atleast these kids will have a roof over their heads, a meal, and an education - but at the end as much as I think its wrong that these parents use their kids as emotional bait, I also think its wrong that these kids gets dragged away from their parents with all that fanfare!.....
 
Last edited:
Lycanthrope said:
What gets me is motorists who give these kids money. They seem to think that they're "helping" these kids by doing so when, in fact, their 'good deed' does the exact opposite. Ever heard of supply and demand? That's right, you're adding to the problem.

I'm glad that the police are doing something about it. Hopefully these kids will have a better future in school than on the side of the road.
Click to expand...

+1 well said.
 
Nothxkbi said:
The trauma of being dragged away from your parent as a child by strangers is 1000000000000000 times worse than being there simply to envoke a little emotion from passers by. These children and their parents are both in the same pot, they are beggars and most times are starving. Metro can go and stab themselves in the heart for this I couldn't care less.
Click to expand...

I always think about that trauma of a blonde talking on a cell and driving over a 3 year old's legs as he stumbles off the island, but maybe you have a point that getting taken away to a place of safety is worse.
 
Balstrome said:
I always think about that trauma of a blonde talking on a cell and driving over a 3 year old's legs as he stumbles off the island, but maybe you have a point that getting taken away to a place of safety is worse.
Click to expand...

:D
 
Give the kids an education, a future, a career. Don't train them to become professional beggars.
I hope the authorities continue to do these blitz on an ongoing continual basis. The parents can still go see their children. At least they'll be getting educated and fed.
 
genetic said:
Give the kids an education, a future, a career. Don't train them to become professional beggars.
I hope the authorities continue to do these blitz on an ongoing continual basis. The parents can still go see their children. At least they'll be getting educated and fed.
Click to expand...

With who's money?
You get illegal immigrants, in this case a Mozambican citizen coming into SA and begging then they get fed for free off your tax, I dont mind as such but tax is wasted on legal fees for corruption court cases, and illegal tenders and fat salaries. With out these, there would be ample money to feed these poor children, and supply and fix basic utilities to communities. // but that is for another thread
The blind women I understand (and assume is SA as they don't mention he nationality) as that is a genuine disability with which it is hard to do any form of useful work.
 
Last edited:
Balstrome said:
I always think about that trauma of a blonde talking on a cell and driving over a 3 year old's legs as he stumbles off the island, but maybe you have a point that getting taken away to a place of safety is worse.
Click to expand...

I understand the logic of what you guys are saying and it makes perfect sense. I'm speaking more from an emotional point of view. I think of when I was a child and being dragged away from my parents would've been the end of my world and a terrifying experience, children are so dependant emotionally on their parents for security and comfort. In the long run they will be better off but put yourself in the shoes of a child being dragged off by the police. meh :(
 
Injections are scary things, but they do really help save kids lives. Sometimes the medicine tastes nasty but it is for they own good, seeing that their parents could not give a stuff for them. (Am I gonna get beaten for that one, grin)
 
@nakedpeanut - there's a budget for social development. ;)

I agree with you however, that many of these beggars and children are illegal immigrants. That's a big problem.

There was a program on Carte Blanch a few weeks back on this very issue. They found that many times these babies are rented out to beggars for R20 a day! There's been a number of child deaths as intersections because of heat exhaustion and lack of food and water.
The authorities have to act otherwise it's going to get out of hand very quickly.
 
genetic said:
@nakedpeanut - there's a budget for social development. ;)

I agree with you however, that many of these beggars and children are illegal immigrants. That's a big problem.

There was a program on Carte Blanch a few weeks back on this very issue. They found that many times these babies are rented out to beggars for R20 a day! There's been a number of child deaths as intersections because of heat exhaustion and lack of food and water.
The authorities have to act otherwise it's going to get out of hand very quickly.
Click to expand...

haha I know that they got budgets for basically every thing, my point was that they could be bigger and better managed.

But it is quite sad that people just see children as a tool to make money
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X