South Africa has become a nation of beggars, bewails one posting on the internet. Beggars come to your gate and are to be found at almost every traffic light, with their hands or Styrofoam cups held out to receive donations from motorists, displaying pathetic cardboard notices pleading poverty and hunger, or trying to convince you to part with small change by offering cheap goods (be these toys, car licence disc holders or whatever, and even umbrellas, which appear remarkably quickly when it rains).
They are usually peaceful, sometimes the more energetic can make us laugh by performing stunts or dances,
