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Johannesburg - White beggars make on average about R172 per day when begging on the streets of South Africa.
This was revealed in research done in Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal by Solidarity’s Helping Hand at the end of last year, reported Beeld.
Danie Brink, executive head of Helping Hand said the study came after two employees pretended to be beggars in Plettenberg Bay in a fundraising attempt and were given R1 200 within two hours.
Their questionnaire was completed by 61 beggars.
About 16% of the beggars said they got less than R50 a day while 7% said they got more than R500 a day. About a quarter said they managed to make between R51 and R100 a day and another 25% said they got between R151 and R250 a day. Close to 10% said they made between R300 and R400 a day and 3% made between R401 and R500 a day.
Brink said he was quite sure that this information was correct. He conceded however, that the beggars’ claim that they spent 80% on food was probably not accurate.
About 18% of the beggars indicated that they bought alcohol and 7% admitted to using drugs.
About 78% of the beggars indicated that they wanted to work but said they didn’t want to do “inferior work”. Nearly 60% of the beggars had not passed matric.
The study also found that black beggars tried to sell things on the streets but not white beggars. Some white beggars also rejected work offers.
This was revealed in research done in Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal by Solidarity’s Helping Hand at the end of last year, reported Beeld.
Danie Brink, executive head of Helping Hand said the study came after two employees pretended to be beggars in Plettenberg Bay in a fundraising attempt and were given R1 200 within two hours.
Their questionnaire was completed by 61 beggars.
About 16% of the beggars said they got less than R50 a day while 7% said they got more than R500 a day. About a quarter said they managed to make between R51 and R100 a day and another 25% said they got between R151 and R250 a day. Close to 10% said they made between R300 and R400 a day and 3% made between R401 and R500 a day.
Brink said he was quite sure that this information was correct. He conceded however, that the beggars’ claim that they spent 80% on food was probably not accurate.
About 18% of the beggars indicated that they bought alcohol and 7% admitted to using drugs.
About 78% of the beggars indicated that they wanted to work but said they didn’t want to do “inferior work”. Nearly 60% of the beggars had not passed matric.
The study also found that black beggars tried to sell things on the streets but not white beggars. Some white beggars also rejected work offers.
