I’m constantly amused by the people who sell bottled water and all that stuff on Clifton beach. It’s SUCH a scam! Mind you, I suppose they don’t work in winter, so they need to harass summer. But the way they do it is so sneaky.
I went to buy some bottled water, which they are selling for a cool R7. So I gave the women working at the stall(Now sponsored by Pepsi) a R50 note(50ZAR) She gave me my change, and said that she did not have any more change and that I should fetch my R1 that she owes me later. I said “Cool” and then looked through my change because I know they constantly try and trick me. Either that or they just cannot count.
She had given me R32 change. Essentially I was paying R18 for a 500ml bottle of water. Minus the R1 she said I could fetch later and it’s R17 for the water. So I queried it and she said “Oh yeah” and gave me another R10. But she did it all so cool, as though she always scams people like this!
Last time I was at Woolworths I was mistakenly charged twice for something and the lady at the till could not apologise enough, she really did not mean to short change me by R20. But this women selling water probably does this fairly often.
But my absolute favourite trick is when they say “Sorry we don’t have enough change, come and get it later” They know that it’s small change like R1 or R2 and nearly everyone will forget about it. Yesterday I did. I couldn’t care less about losing R1, but at the end of their work day, I rate they have made a decent amount of extra cash by saying “We don’t have change”
They know Cape Town at this time of the year is crazy mad, and that they should make sure they have change. They know that you will forget about the money and they can pocket it. I don’t really mind, it’s not like they are making millions of rands off of it. It’s not The Health and Racquet Club after all! But if they want extra cash, just add it into the price of things.
That way they are making more money, but I don’t feel cheated as it were.
Otherwise it was a good day. A little bit hot for me after 3 hours in the baking heat though. I was sweating SO much.
Thought you might like to know that.
Sean Lloyd
Editor
