Waste reclaimers divide community opinions
Some residents work to support reclaimers by sorting their rubbish and are pleased for the option to be able to recycle in a city that generally makes it more difficult - others see them as a nuisance and security threat.
The topic of waste reclaimers pops up in community conversations regularly as their role in society is debated.
Prof. Melanie Samson, Associate Professor in Sociology at the University of Johannesburg says, “Reclaimers have historically been treated as an inconvenience within waste management. However, over the past two decades, perspectives have begun to shift from classifying reclaimers as poor, marginal individuals eking out a meagre living by rummaging through other people’s trash, to essential, frontline workers in the recycling economy, particularly within the Global South.”
Montoa Khoali who works for the African Reclaimers Organisation (ARO) was a waste reclaimer for several years in and around Brixton before taking on her new role within the organisation. “These days I travel around the city meeting reclaimers to check their slips from weigh-ins to calculate how much has been collected.” Both positions require the dedication of a full-time job in a bid to feed and look after her family.
Apart from earning a living from reclaiming items that have been thrown away, it helps the environment she said.
Muzi Mkhwanazi, spokesperson for Pikitup said, “Pikitup appreciates the role that waste pickers play in reducing waste that ends up at its landfill sites. It should be noted that our four landfill sites are fast reaching the end of their lifespans. Therefore, efforts by waste pickers to divert recyclable materials away from landfill sites are appreciated. Their act preserves the remaining lifespan of Pikitup’s landfill sites, but there are plans in place to increase their capacity.”
The recycling industry in South Africa is estimated to be worth around R18b according to the South African Waste Pickers Association (Sawpa), ‘but a very small amount goes to waste pickers’.
One of the more common complaints by residents is the mess that some reclaimers make when sorting what they have collected.
Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo’s spokesperson Jenny Moodley says they are mindful that waste reclaimers consist of some of the most marginalised, poorest and vulnerable residents in the city. “The challenge, however, is that while they provide a critical role in recycling domestic and commercial waste, they are not adequately structured or resourced to offer a service on the scale that is provided by Pikitup. The ideal would be if this sector was properly formalised to avoid many of the reclaimers living illegally along water bodies and to ensure that non-recyclables are properly disposed of.”
“Formalising the space for reclaimers to sort waste was proposed to some communities. As you will appreciate, some residents voiced their concern about not wanting these formalised places in open spaces near their homes.”
She says there was a plan to provide waste reclaimers with a space to sort waste with an individual lockable storage area, a place for a shower and possibly complement it with regular health checks and basic skills programmes.
“There was a huge effort during the lockdown to run this programme and, sadly, many of the displaced persons found recycling – fairly quickly opted out by not returning to the site set up for this initiative. City Parks will be keen to put in place similar decentralised sites subject to external funding being sourced. as this responsibility falls outside the core mandate of the entity.”
Community Cleaners in Northcliff and surrounds spend every weekend clearing out public parks of litter and rubbish strewn in them. While not all reclaimers make a mess it has been shown that some do, as do others who use the parks during the day and sleep in them at night.
INFO BOX: When asked about concerns some communities have about security with reclaimers digging through their bins, these were some tips given by ARO:
– Get to know the reclaimers in your neighbourhoods and you will find the genuine ones who will be more than happy to work with you to find a mutually agreeable understanding.
– Ask your reclaimers not to cover their faces and in ideal situations provide them with a bib or some identification, so you know who is in your road and why.
– If you don’t want people going through your bin, the easiest solution is to sort your recycling into separate bags that you place next to the bin on collection days that can be easily taken.
– Providing recyclable items separately on rubbish collection days to regular household waste would lessen the need for sorting by reclaimers.
JMPD is tasked with enforcing by-laws such as those that govern behaviours in public parks. Spokesperson for the department Superintendent Xolani Fihla said, “From what the JMPD understands, the Department of Environment and Infrastructure Services, which Piki Tup falls under, is in the process of reviewing the Waste Management By-Laws, especially on the matter of waste pickers and recyclers.”
“While we enforce the by-laws, the custodians of Waste Management By-Laws are Pikitup, but JMPD will attend to any complaint received and deal with it on merit.”
The public can report the removal of illegal dumping to Piki Tup at 0860 562 874 or to JMPD by sending a WhatsApp of any illegal dumping witness on 082 779 1361 with the picture, time date and location of the illegal dumping.
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