"Why Didn't You Buy Me a Cooldrink?" South African Questions Growing Entitlement Of Car Guards
- A South African man shared two frustrating encounters with car guards who responded to his generosity with demands for more
- In one incident, a car guard who received a R16 Lunch Bar asked why he had not also bought him a cooldrink
- South Africans on Reddit weighed in on whether the behaviour reflects entitlement or a deeper opportunism
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A South African man has sparked a heated debate online after sharing two encounters with car guards who met his generosity with demands rather than gratitude.
The Reddit user, posting on r/south_africa, described a moment that left him completely speechless. He had spotted a car guard he recognised near a shop and, despite having no cash, decided to hand over one of two Lunch Bars he had just bought at R16 each. The man's response was not a thank you. Instead, he asked why the poster had not bought him a cold drink as well.
Johannesburg car guard demands an eWallet top-up
The second incident happened earlier that same week outside the Johannesburg Municipality. The poster scraped together R8 in loose change, handed it over with an apology, and explained it was all he had. The car guard pocketed it, then pulled out his phone and asked the man to eWallet him the rest. Check out the Reddit post here
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"When did gratitude become replaced with expectation?" the poster wrote, adding that kindness should never feel like an obligation.
Source: Getty Images
South Africans debate entitlement vs opportunism
The post struck a nerve, drawing hundreds of responses from people who said they had experienced something similar.
Delicious_Star_4232 wrote:
"Not really entitlement, rather opportunism. They'll push their luck with whoever and someone's going to buckle and just give."
Trick_Revolution_642 said:
"It definitely is. Don't give in to their behaviour as it will make them feel that it's acceptable."
FindingBusiness759 shared:
"They have become more pushy over the years. Some weeks back, after giving the usual gesture of 'I have no money', the guy saw my mom in the car eating a cone of ice cream and then proceeded to insist he wants it and refused to leave."
AnomalyNexus offered a different take:
"For jobs like car guards, being aggressive and shameless with no limit is the optimal strategy. If the eWallet request works 10% of the time, that's still more than he would have gotten without asking."
Sort_Antique pointed a finger higher up:
"I blame the government. Expecting a handout has become far too common. And the responsibility is placed on us as citizens to make up for the shortcomings of their government failing them."
Special_Diver2917 added:
"People like that make me angry, as it prevents people from genuinely wanting to help someone who genuinely could use whatever you can spare."
3 Other Briefly News stories about car guards
- A car guard in Vereeniging surprised a motorist by producing a card machine instead of asking for cash.
- A KZN restaurant shared the sad news that Blessing, a car guard who'd been part of their community for years, passed away.
- A female security guard celebrated buying a Tata Tiago 1.2, dancing with loved ones at the dealership as she proudly held her new keys and marked a major personal milestone.
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Source: Briefly News
