Learners in Kathorus encouraged to embrace recycling through Zithande Mzansi programme

Learners from various primary schools in Kathorus were educated and informed about the benefits of practising recycling in their schools.

This happened when Tiger Brands, in partnership with Fibre Circle, launched the Zithande Mzansi recycling programme at Palm Ridge Community Hall on October 21.

The recycling programme mainly focuses on promoting recycling and environmental sustainability amongst learners.

Five primary schools from Kathorus, which are Ikusasalethu Primary School, Polokegong Primary School, Katlehong Primary School, Manzini Primary School, and Umtholo Primary School, will be taking part in the Zithande Mzansi recycling programme.

Dumisani Khumalo, Marketing and Communications Manager at Fibre Circle, shared that they are launching the programme to educate and create awareness about the importance of keeping the environment clean, healthy, and safe.

“This is a nationwide programme, but today we have adopted five schools in Kathorus that will be part of our programme. We are going to do workshops at the schools, and thereafter we are going to provide the schools with tools and equipment to do recycling.

“We are going to teach the learners to separate waste materials; they will be using different colour bins to separate the waste materials,” said Khumalo.

He added that plastic, paper, metal tins, and boxes are all recyclable, but they can’t be mixed.

“The material shouldn’t be contaminated, because the recycling companies don’t take contaminated materials. We have also evaluated the schools that we have adopted and discovered that the learners at the schools are littering, and we want to prevent that from continuing.

“The other important factor is that the schools will be rebated for being part of the recycling programme. We have recycling companies that we have partnered with who are creating employment out of waste collection, one of those companies is Greener Pastures Recycling Company, and we want the schools to follow suit,” Khumalo expressed.

Director of Enterprise, Supplier Development, and Transformation at Tiger Brands, Maanda Milubi, said they are excited to launch the Zithande Mzansi recycling programme, wherein they will be educating learners about using recycling as a viable vehicle to sustain the environment and partake in the circular economy.

“This type of initiative is very important, because it aligns with our strategy to drive sustainability not only through our value chain and business units, but in the communities in which we operate.

“The high impact of this programme is educating learners on the importance of the circular economy, as well as the career opportunities that are available and SMMEs’ development opportunities from an economic point of view, including the opportunity to generate income in the recycling industry,” said Milubi.

A learner from Umtholo Primary School, Neo Mokoena (13), said the launch of the Zithande Mzansi Programme is beneficial to them as learners because they have learned about the importance of keeping their environment clean.

“Taking care of the environment is vital for sustaining the habitat. We have also learned that it’s economically viable to keep the environment clean, because a lot of material that’s being littered can be recycled.

“Now I know that various materials like papers, bottles, boxes, and plastic shouldn’t be thrown away, they can all be Mokoena expressed.

Sphesihle Ngwenya (10) from Ikusasalethu Primary School said they were taught to love the environment.

“I have learned that littering is very bad for the environment and that it can be prevented through recycling.

“It’s very crucial for the environment to be kept clean at all times, because it’s beneficial to our well-being as people,” Spesihle shared.