---
title: "WATCH — Giving money to beggars: does it make their lives better?"
description: "We asked beggars, the City of Cape Town and homeless organisations what they think about giving money to homeless people."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "GROUNDUP"
author: "GroundUp Staff"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/groundup-staff/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-10-01-giving-money-to-beggars-does-it-make-their-lives-better/"
published: "2025-10-01T13:33:28"
updated: "2025-10-01T13:33:33"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 79
---

# WATCH — Giving money to beggars: does it make their lives better?

> We asked beggars, the City of Cape Town and homeless organisations what they think about giving money to homeless people.

By GroundUp Staff · Published 1 October 2025, 15:33 SAST · Updated 1 October 2025, 15:33 SAST

## Key points
- In a city where the mountains loom large and the homeless struggle below, the debate rages: does handing over spare change uplift the spirit or simply line the pockets of life’s harshest realities?
- Cape Town's homeless population struggles to survive, relying heavily on begging for income.
- The City of Cape Town and certain organizations advise against giving cash to beggars.
- A debate persists on whether financial aid improves or worsens the lives of those in need.
- The video, produced by GroundUp, explores the complexities of this contentious issue.

## Content

[YouTube video: "YouTube video"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGl399xSVFE)

Thousands of homeless people live in Cape Town. Many of them beg as their main source of income.

The City of Cape Town and some homeless organisations discourage giving cash to beggars. Others disagree.

In this video, we ask: does giving money to beggars make their lives better, or worse? **DM**

*Credits: Video filmed and edited by Ashraf Hendricks. Presented and researched by Marecia Damons. Produced by Daniel Steyn. Sharfaa Ahmed assisted during filming*

*First published by*[*GroundUp*](https://groundup.org.za/article/giving-money-to-beggars-does-it-do-more-harm-than-good/)*.*