The SA city where it's illegal to beg at traffic lights
Did you know it's actually illegal to beg at traffic lights and public roads in this South African city?
We see them every day, people standing at traffic lights or sidewalks, begging for money to make ends meet.
Many South Africans struggle to pay for necessities or meet basic needs, and this can, of course, be linked back to the country’s high unemployment rate.
According to Stats SA's Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), South Africa's unemployment rate was up to 33.2% in the second quarter of 2025.
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Naturally, if people can't find jobs, they will revert to other methods of earning money, often ending up begging.
The city where it's illegal to beg
Let's face it: South Africa has many people begging for money.
Despite the large number of people you see on the streets every day, it is actually illegal to beg in one of the country's most populated cities.
According to a Johannesburg by-law, begging is a punishable offence.
Johannesburg’s Public Roads By-Law, 2024, Chapter 2, Section 10, states:
"No person shall, without the council’s permission, on any public road, cycle lane, or sidewalk, in any way loiter, solicit, inconvenience, or harass any other person for the purpose of begging."
Based on this by-law, there shouldn’t be any beggars on Johannesburg’s streets, and police should be working to prevent it.
The sad truth, however, is that the City of Gold has an even higher unemployment rate than the national rate - at about 34.5%.
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This makes it incredibly difficult to enforce the law, as the high number of beggars is due to a broader socioeconomic crisis in the country.
According to JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla, these by-laws were created to ensure better traffic flow and prevent crime.
"These by-laws aim to ensure public safety and the free flow of traffic. Activities like begging, unsolicited windscreen washing, and illegal trading at traffic intersections are targeted because they are linked to an increase in opportunistic crimes," he said.
Fihla added that motorists are often victims of opportunistic crimes, as criminals pose as beggars and many even use children as "begging bait."
A continued battle
The JMPD spokesperson also noted that enforcing these rules is difficult and currently not being executed effectively.
"Enforcement of municipal by-laws on public roads can result in penalties, but most of the time, people who are begging are just removed," he said.
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Beggars who are removed don't face any further consequences and are not forced to pay penalties, as the department understands that begging is a socio-economic issue and not always crime-driven.
"This is driven by poverty, unemployment, and a lack of social security, which goes far beyond the scope of a police department," said Fihla.
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Images: Twitter/DabaSafiyya