I AM really disappointed in fellow South Africans who drag their disabled family members to shopping malls, to the sides of the road and everywhere else they believe they can collect money.

I AM really disappointed in fellow South Africans who drag their disabled family members to shopping malls, to the sides of the road and everywhere else they believe they can collect money.

The worst of these people are those who bring their disabled families to the trains. Just imagine what will happen to a blind person who happens to misjudge a step while passing between the coaches? Who will be responsible?

You cannot hold Metrorail responsible if this were to happen. Bringing a disabled family member to a street corner or mall does not help ease their plight but only exposes them to rain, storms and even to motor vehicle accidents.

Surely the Department of Social Development is giving people with disabilities grants? Whether or not the grants are adequate is another issue.

I am not suggesting that we keep disabled people out of sight but rather that we take them to social centres that have qualified staff who will help them.

This would be much better than dragging them between train coaches or leaving them with little children in areas with high traffic volumes to beg from the passing public.

In my book that is absolute abuse and exploitation because at the end of the day these unfortunate blind people do not even know how much money they were given anyway.

Somebody should stand up and speak out against this exploitation.

Mapo-Phaahle wa Mokoena,GaMasemola