What does the law stipulate with regards to beggars standing in the middle of the road at intersections?

Question:

What are the rules regarding pedestrians standing in the center of the road at intersections with boards asking for work or money? I recently had a situation where a truck trailer moved into my lane when turning so I had to move over to the left only to find a man standing on the white line directly in front of me. I had to brake very hard to avoid hitting him. He then swore at me using filthy language. Does the Jay walking law still apply?

Answer:

Pedestrians are not allowed to stand in the road as it constitutes a danger. There is also a by-law provision relating to begging. Any enforcement officer observing this should remove the person from the intersection.

Regards

Andre Nel

Deputy Chief: Traffic Services (Operations)

Directorate: Safety and Security

City Of Cape Town

Also view:

Road Safety and Preventing Smash-and-Grab