Abuse of disabled is really heartless

Abuse is a word despised everywhere in the world. Abuse is widespread and it happens even to those we think are safe from it.

There is a form of abuse that is happening silently on our streets. Most of the physically disabled people we see begging at traffic robots are sent by their abusers who will later pocket all their victims made during the day. Well, that’s pure abuse. Most of those beggars give all we give them daily to their “bosses”. We see these people every day, we feel sorry for them, they appear to be hungry, we give them food and sometimes money, but most of them don’t get to spend a cent of the money or even eat the food we give them. People who are physically abled, who can work for themselves, send our disabled brothers and sisters onto the street and later take from them. What a heartless mentality.

I have always asked myself why a person who gets a disability grant would be begging at the robots? Only to find out that they are not there willingly, they have been forced. Some look tired, but are forced to stand there the whole day. This is pure cruelty and the more we turn a blind eye to it, the more it will spread across our country.

Some family members of disabled people take their social grant money and go wild with it. They buy booze and some gamble with the money.

No one is protecting these abused people and they are voiceless, they are suffering in silence.

To those doing this cruel practice, please stop. Disabled people are also human with the same equal rights as all of us. Let’s respect and listen to their concerns. Let’s make them feel the warmth and show them the love they deserve. Say NO to abuse of the disabled!

Melato Mphahlele, Zebediela