Hawkers everywhere!!
One thing that never ceases to amaze me is the fact that no matter where you go in South Africa, city or informal settlement, you will find a hawker of some kind on every sidewalk. Now, you have to realize that even though you might not want your windows washed with murky water or you might not need a “good quality” copy of a DVD that is still on the circuit, the people trying to sell these products are trying to make a living. There are a few ways to handle these characters as they try and sweet talk you into buying from them
Firstly, it might be wonderful to drive with your window open as you go about your business, however when you approach a stop street or a robot it would be a great idea to start closing your window. I have found that this works well if you do not want a sample shoved through your window
Secondly, I have discovered that it is your best bet to refrain from making any eye contact. The hawker is now rapidly moving up to your window waving some kind of bizarre object in the air for you to see. Experience has shown that if you pretend to be involved in changing your radio station the hawker will eventually get tired of waving at you through the window to catch you attention and move on
Lastly I would just like to add that being rude is not a good option at all as the hawker is more likely to throw the object at your window than politely move on to the next car. So for those of you who where thinking of taking on a hawker in South Africa - think again! On a lighter note, if you would like to purchase something from a hawker just smile and wind down your window and you won’t have to ask twice!
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