FOR most people, standing all day in the baking Zululand sun is inconceivable.
A job in an air conditioned office, with tea and coffee at the ready and a fridge to ensure cold drinking water, is a necessity in this climate.
But on the flip side, this would be an inconceivable luxury for the many car guards in our region.
Leila Roberts is one such car guard who can be found working her parking lot in Richards Bay CBD between 6am and 4pm, six days a week.
‘The job is hard, especially in this heat, but you get used to it,’ said Leila, who is one of only a few female car guards in the region.
Originally from Johannesburg, Leila relocated to Richards Bay a little over eight years ago for personal reasons.
With no income, nor a roof over their heads, Leila and her husband spent seven months living on Richards Bay’s streets before meeting a car guard who armed them with the knowledge they needed to start earning a living.
Training
‘He taught us what we needed to know about car guarding, which meant we could start buying food again’.
Since those days, Leila’s husband has moved on to another job elsewhere in the city, but she still needs to contribute to the household income.
As with everyone, Leila’s earnings first get spent on food and other necessities, but when she has a little extra, she can afford a down payment on more expensive necessities, like the fridge they recently bought.
However, finances dictate that the bigger things, like repairs to the wooden house in which Leila lives, are often overlooked.
‘If someone can help by donating some wood, we would be able to carry out the repairs to our house’.
With a strong faith that alone has got her through the toughest of times, Leila says she is grateful to have a job and enjoys car guarding.
‘I like people,’ she said. ‘The majority of the people who come through this parking lot are nice, but there are a few who think that, because I am ‘just’ a car guard, I am beneath them.’
While car guarding can incite anger and frustration in some people who think paying car guards is a waste of money, there have been times when car guards have intercepted car thieves and helped people in distress.
More often than not, car guards are people who, down on their luck, choose to earn a living rather than beg or steal.
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