Am I poverty(ist) or something?

[MrG]

When people are begging be it outside the fast food outlets such as Nandos, Steers, etc or traffic light to traffic light, at parking bays and such then I have no problem walking away ignoring them or declining a donation to aid them against their poverty stricken cases. White person doing that makes me rather uncomfortable and more difficult to resist. (maybe im racist as well), but I still do not cave to the request of money.

However when these perfectly fine (usually female) citizens are handing out flyers then asking for a donation to a specific cause in aid of charity/event xyz I find it very difficult to reject. Does anyone else have this problem?

Perhaps its also cause 95% of the time they address me in Afrikaans and I feel I HAVE to actually answer them and cant just ignore them.

[Tsar]

I just ignore them. Don't have time for such people.

[Solitude]

I give money to this one guy every month (since he has had really bad luck and yet he is one of the friendliest people I've ever met) and some to friends of ours who are missionaries. That's my quota. There are just too many people that need help and I feel that if you give to some, then good. But it's impossible to give to everyone.

[czc]

I'm a Soutie (Thanks for the word Rambo) so Afrikaans doesn't work on me. The black people also think that speak to me in Afrikaans will make a difference

[Thanticore]

I don't have this problem. I've learned to say no quickly and effectively. It is all in the voice, the body language and the facial expression (usually one of pure hate does the job).

However, you do get those people who "attack" you and stick something on you before you have the chance to say no (happened to me a few times). Then I get out my wallet, dig out the smallest note I've got and give that. I do find hawkers etc popping up everywhere and getting more persistent and annoying!

e.g. in Menlyn there have been people selling Cape Town Fish Market stuff SINCE Easter. I can give them their entire pitch! Next time I go and they're still there I swear I'm going to tackle one of them...

[Kiruna]

I don't hand out money to any one that begs, does not matter who is asking. If in car, will always just shake head no and that's it. Don't need to apologize or feel guilty, they are the ones doing nothing to earn their keep in life.

I've started noticing a trend where people are now "begging" for money in pick n pay. It's not exactly begging for money, but for you to actually pay for their groceries because they don't have money. They have a basket full of groceries. 3 different times (different pick n pays) it's happened to me now. It's bad enough at every robot or if get out car somewhere, but inside the actual shop as well is too much.

I sometimes give to the charity donation ones, mostly for the animal ones, but it's not very often. Don't usually ignore them, but just say "sorry, no" and carry on.

[axon1988]

I've had some comical situations with beggars though... But mostly what i do is either ignore them or give them a small ammount from my wallet... as in R2...

In any case there are some beggars in Cape CBD who walk around with a blind person asking for money. I've seen them more then once jump out of the way of a passing car... a couple of times the blind guy pulls the other guy away before he gets run over! Which is quite funny.

[MissM]

I generally don't give to beggers. I hate the ones that stand right in the McD's drive through. Makes me feel so damn guilty!!!

Anyways, I also throw my spare change into anumal walfare tins at supermarkets. Prefer helping the animals as I believe there is alot more money going to human charities than animal ones.

[Dan]

Animal charities = instant donation.

Car guards, people with fake disabilities, or beggars with absolutely nothing wrong with them other than laziness = voetsek.

Perhaps I just hate people.

[Tank]

you'll be shocked/surprised at how many actually live quite well, they do this to squeeze folks with tiny hearts.

makes my blood boil