Picture of boy in bin stirs up controversy

APORT Elizabeth businessman’s attempt to raise awareness about a homeless boy living in a rubbish bin has garnered a mixed reaction.

When estate agent Jaco Rademeyer, 34, received numerous messages over the past month about a homeless boy living in a Summerstrand bin with his company’s branding on it, he initially thought it was a joke.

But a visit to the bin, and subsequent social media posts, landed him both praise and criticism.

On Monday, following another message from a complete stranger, he visited the bin and found a teenage boy hiding in the bin to get out of the cold.

“I stopped at a shop, bought some food, fruit and a blanket, and made my way to the bin where I found a very shy boy sheltering from the cold inside the bin,” Rademeyer said.

The boy was so shy he could not even get his name, he said.

Rademeyer has since contacted homeless shelter MES Port Elizabeth to help the boy.

He took some pictures and, along with pictures he received from the public, made a post on Facebook, explaining the incident under the heading “Feel good Monday”.

One of the pictures sent to him showed the boy peeping out of the bin with the caption, “Jaco Rademeyer – providing homes for SA”.

“I hoped it would raise awareness about the less fortunate and get other people to help as well. However, I was surprised to find some people criticising my actions,” he said.

Stateline Pressed Metal business development director Athi Lupondwana, 30, saw the post as a publicity stunt, with “no regard for the boy’s dignity”.

“When I saw the post I was deeply offended. This poor homeless child is hiding in a bin, and Rademeyer was plastering it all over social media,” Lupondwana said.

“He claims to be raising awareness, but for who? He was using this kid’s circumstances to promote himself.”

On Facebook, Unathi-Onalerona Makanda called Rademeyer’s actions a marketing spin-off and said: “This is a human dignity issue as well and from my end reeks of #whiteprivilege.”

However, most of the replies to Rademeyer’s post, which has since been taken down, were positive, with many people offering more donations to help the boy.

MES Port Elizabeth manager Ian Landman, 55, confirmed that Rademeyer had contacted him and said the boy was getting professional help.

He said they would do their best to find the boy a foster home or shelter and “the most important is to get him back to school”.

Landman said he did not believe Rademeyer’s intentions were anything other than noble.

“I believe Jaco’s actions came from the heart, and that he only had the best intentions . . . the bottom line is a boy was taken off the streets, and we will do everything we can to help him,” he said.