Crackdown on beggars using children - The Daily News (SA), 22 Sep 08

By Vivian Attwood

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Durban, 22 September 2008: There were emotional scenes on Friday as police, welfare officials and Metro Police pulled children from the backs of their mothers in one of the first crackdowns on parents who use their children to beg.

Motorists swerved in heavy rain to avoid colliding with fleeing children as the SAPS and Metro Police conducted a raid on street beggars. The crackdown on women who endanger babies and small children by bringing them in from outlying areas to beg on the city's streets was part of the eThekwini Council's campaign to stamp out child exploitation.

The Daily News was contacted by the eThekwini Communications Department to inform reporters and photographers of the impending intervention. As photographers converged at the junction at Sandile Thusi Street (Argyle Road) and Stalwart Simelane Street (Stanger Street), which is frequented by large numbers of beggars on any given day, the heavens opened.

To maintain the element of surprise, the police had not erected cordons. Evidently no-one predicted the level of terror the children would experience as the men and women in blue closed in.

Screaming hysterically, several pre-schoolers tried to make their getaway, dodging cars on the road's slippery surface. Mothers bellowed at the arresting officers, then wept.

A representative of the Department of Social Services was on the scene, calming heightened emotions and speaking reassuringly. "The fact that it is raining will strengthen the charges that these children are being severely neglected," she said.

"They are brought out to beg even in extreme weather. During school holidays even larger numbers are brought here, and made to sleep on the grass verges at night. It is no environment for a child."

City manager Michael Sutcliffe recently vowed that not only would beggars be arrested and charged, motorists would also be fined if they continued to contribute to the problem of begging. Speaking after Friday's crackdown, he said: "This is an ongoing issue and not a once-off operation. By all accounts it was successful, although I haven't been informed yet how many women will be prosecuted. The children will be placed in the social welfare system. It is tough at one level, but the women have all been warned before."

On Sunday, the streets in question were devoid of the usual crowd of beggars and traffic flowed unimpeded.

Durban to fine kind motorists  - The Daily News (SA), 18 Sep 08

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Durban motorists who give money to beggars at intersections and traffic lights face being prosecuted, the Daily News reported on Thursday afternoon.

According to the report, the city's municipal manager Mike Sutcliffe said: "It certainly takes two to tango. Providing support to illegal street vending and beggars is a violation of the Road Traffic Act as well as traffic bylaws."

He said the city had tried taking many of the women, who were using their children to beg at intersections, to register for grants. However, within days they were back at the same intersection pushing their children to beg from passing motorists.

"We now want to take action against motorists. We have tried targeting one out of the two groups in the past and that has not worked," Sutcliffe was quoted as saying.

The report did not say how the city's metro police intended enforcing the relevant bylaws or how much the fine would be for giving to beggars.

- Sapa