A psycho-social exploration of street begging: A qualitative study

The practice of street begging tends to be perceived by motorists simultaneously as a nuisance but also perhaps as a prod to one’s social conscience. In view of its increasing pervasiveness and visible presence on the streets of both small and large metropolitan areas, this psycho-social phenomenon merits further investigation. This study reports on a range of experiential factors that contribute toward the practice, and reinforcement, of begging, specifically with regard to the South African context. Semistructured, informal interviews with seven “begging” individuals within the Johannesburg (Gauteng) area were conducted to augment the personal experiences of a research assistant (who engaged in a practice of begging for 2 weeks) to explore, and better understand, why people beg and what might maintain their begging. Interview reports, observation, and anecdotal material suggest that the beggar “participants” in this study preferred a lifestyle where the restrictions of formal employment such as having to report for duty and work long hours for a relatively menial wage did not apply. However, the uncertainties of begging were experienced as stressful but not necessarily demeaning. Arising from the interview material, it became clear that issues such as unemployment and difficulty in accessing social grants as well as poor education and homelessness were the overriding precipitating factors. Moreover, there appeared to be a differential age-related experiential profile related to how the present situation was perceived relative to a future orientation.