Local beggars’ lives to change
Lerato Mkubukeli, the Community Liaison Officer (CLO) for the company and project, arranged for the duo, who have been asking for handouts from motorists for the past eight years, to be given an opportunity to improve their lives when some positions in the project fell vacant.
Two popular beggars along Hendrik Potgieter Road will soon be permanently kissing the streets goodbye after they were offered opportunities to renew their lives by a leading technology company in Africa.
The duo, Ivan Mogadingane and Jeffery Makgotlho, who became best buddies from begging in the streets, were approached by a representative of High Voltage Power Systems, a business unit of E.O.H, the contractor assigned to build the much-anticipated Lutz substation in Honeydew.
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Lerato Mkubukeli, the Community Liaison Officer (CLO) for the company and project, vouched for the plighftul duo, who has been asking for handouts from motorists for the past eight years, to be given opportunities when some vacancies were available in the project.
A kind-hearted Lerato, told the Northsider how she got know these soon-to-be colleagues beggars. “I used to come across them on Hendrik Potgieter Road, and when I saw them at the traffic lights,
I made sure that I gave them something to eat, money or even clothes to wear sometimes,” she lamented.
Lerato explained that the relationship between her and beggars became tighter as they would just greet each other in occasion where she had nothing to give. And when an opportunity arose in the company, she looked no further than the streets of Hendrik Potgieter Road.
“When I got this opportunity to empower people I thought of them because they literary don’t have much, they beg on the streets, which is something so inhumane. When the opportunity to hire from the community was presented I felt they deserved it more because they stay in the area,” a passionate Lerato explained.
Lerato also explained that the company is not only going to assist them with jobs, but will seek to assist them in completing both their matrics and their ambitions thereafter.
“E.O.H will be assisting them in finishing their matrics, Jeffery said he failed mathematics in Grade 12 while Ivan dropped out at Grade 10,” she committed.
She further committed to assist them with getting their tax numbers and other work papers in order.
An excited Jeffery, who usually begs on the intersection of Hendrik Potgieter Road and Krugerrand Street in Strubens Valley, limping in his artificial leg, said he ended up begging in the streets because of poverty at home. “I resorted to begging due to the dire conditions at home. I’m happy for this opportunity because what I usually made in the streets was not enough,” he said.
Jeffery was born with a leg length discrepancy. His right leg is deformed and uses an artificial joining leg, which was donated to him, to allow him to walk properly.
Ivan, who vowed to give his best once they sign contracts, also said he was happy and thanked the company for the opportunities.
The duo is expected to start work in the beginning of November. Their line of work is yet to be discussed. Stay in touch with the Northsider for more developments on this story.
