Ups and downs: Cranes are as much part of Sandton’s skyline as skyscrapers — but the boom is creating major traffic problems.
“My favourite superhero is Batman because he drives a Maserati. I’m just a street beggar, but one day I’ll own a Maserati. For now, I believe I have a superpower — invisibility. But it makes me feel bad. Most people can’t see me, or maybe they pretend they can’t. Sometimes I stand at someone’s car window from the time a traffic light goes red, until it goes green again and they’ll never even look at me. Yoh! I feel like swearing [at] these people. Why don’t they see me?
Only one person ever smiled at me and always gave me money. It’s been tough ever since that Mercedes Benz stopped driving through this area. Eish, I miss him, seriously. Now I’m left with these people who make me feel bad.
My parents died when I was a baby and my siblings raised me. But they’re unemployed and what’s the point of suffering in the house of another unemployed person? That’s why I came to Sandton — there’s money here. The only problem is that people can’t see me. I’m just an object in their eyes. At least Batman, Superman and Spiderman save lives. Me? I’m just judged.
That’s what made me realise life’s not fair. I sleep on the streets with my friend Thokozani — his life is just as bad as mine. But people love him more; they smile when he approaches their windows and give him more money. But me? They act like I’m a criminal. I don’t know, maybe it has something to do with my dark skin, my bongo dreads, or my clothes.
But one day I’m going to be ‘King Maserati’ and when I pass through Sandton they’re all going to look at me.” — Vusi Mthembu (20), street beggar and big dreamer, as told to Dineo Bendile