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Comment by ilitirit | Hacker News Reader

I suppose it depends on where you live. In my city (Cape Town) beggars can make up to $400 a week at certain high-traffic spots. People who give them money are enabling them. Also, in my city certain organisations exist to help the homeless and IMO it's better to donate to these groups instead.

In many places in South Africa you are encouraged NOT to give money to beggars.

http://giveresponsibly.co.za/

http://www.capetowncid.co.za/docs/6268/Image%20from%20Best%2...

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Yes, I live in Paris and it said beggars can make up to 30€ a day on certain locations. Moreover they have access to bare necessities like food, clothes, free street clinics and sheltering during winter. Some beggars aren't homeless either.

Every cent given to street beggars goes for their comfort, not their survival. I'm not implying that is a bad thing, just don't think you've saved a person by giving them some quids.

There are charities in my country as well. But I suspect they are corrupted and I avoid giving them money. Regarding making good money while begging for it - I don't know how much do they make here.

That's quite a lot of money (assuming you mean USD and not ZAR). Do you have a source for that figure? Is that an average, or is it the largest amount that one person has ever made?

That's the largest amount that I've heard of. It was from someone who begged at the Goodwood intersection near Libertas a few years ago over the December period.

A survey was done last year and it found that on average white beggars earn about R172 a day. But it's not uncommon in busy areas to net over R1000 in spots especially if there are a lot of tourists.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/White-beggars-make-R1...

Have to agree here in south east Asia a lot of this is run by crime syndicates, only part of the money goes to people on the street.

i once saw a beggar lady with a child on her back at a kfc in johannesburg, she had roll of notes and so many coins they couldn't fit in both her hands.

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