AS the government keeps reminding us, we are indeed a country which is confronted with the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequalities.
According to the latest Statistics SA report, the unemployment queue keeps getting longer, thus posing serious threats to many young people who resort to crime as an easy way out.
Why? Because they are the worst affected.
Of late one has observed an increasing number of people, mostly the youth, taking up the ‘job’ of being car guards at various shopping malls.
Such people must not only be commended, but be compensated for taking the initiative to do something about their challenging life situation.
The motivation to pay these people should not only be driven by the fact that they watch over our cars and act as ‘traffic officers’ directing us out of our parking bays.
Some of us do have car insurance and are capable of reversing our cars ourselves, but I believe we must view this from the perspective that these desperate people are simply seeking an honest way of making a living and that we should pay them as a means of helping them financially.
In my book, if a person is willing to stand all day in blazing sun or pouring rain to guard cars, he or she deserves a tip from me.
Any ‘tip’ not less than R10 note would not be a bad effort.
Sadly I have seen motorists paying these people a measly R1 or R2, yet when they go to various restaurants in towns they tip waiters and waitresses nothing less than R20.
I’m not by any means implying that waiters don’t deserve a tip, but they are at least guaranteed a monthly income.
The tip is an additional income to them, unlike car guards who are solely dependent on the generosity of their ‘clients’.
I truly sympathise with the car guards, their current situation and likely bleak future.
Some of these people will probably never own a car or a house in their lifetime.
I pay them with a hope that everyone else has the same heart.
The car guards in my view fall within the less privileged category and have many needs.
With the little they receive, they are expected to provide food for their family and use some of it for transportation, as many live in areas far away from the towns.
To all motorists, give our car guards their due.
It is like paying for your TV licence – it is the right thing to do. Trust me.
HAVE YOUR SAY
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