On December 13, African Reclaimers Organisation (ARO), along with passionate local residents, carried out a community-led clean-up as part of ongoing efforts to address illegal dumping and improve waste management practices.

The clean-up focused on Brixton Cemetery, Caroline Street and surrounding neighbourhoods, where teams worked to clear dumping hotspots. ARO spokesperson Luyanda Hlatshwayo said the initiative is rooted in building trust and changing perceptions around waste and reclaimers.

Read more: Community Cleaners get their gloves dirty in clean-up at Fairland Koppie

“The main reason for this clean-up is to find solutions on how we manage our communities and manage waste at source,” Hlatshwayo said. “But it’s also about changing stigma and building relationships with residents on the ground.” He said meaningful engagement with communities is essential to solving the city’s waste challenges.

Also read: Community Cleaners get their gloves dirty in clean-up at Fairland Koppie

“We believe that to find solutions to the problem of waste in the city, we need to work directly with communities. That’s where solutions are found,” he said. Brixton is the first community to actively engage reclaimers in identifying illegal dumping sites and working together to clean public spaces, including the cemetery and residential streets. Hlatshwayo stressed that the clean-up was not a once-off intervention. Reclaimers already operate in the area every Tuesday, collecting recyclable materials from households.

“About 80% of household waste is recyclable,” he said. “When waste is separated at source, reclaimers can access it directly, reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill.”

The initiative followed challenges experienced in the Marie Louise landfill site, where reclaimers face limited access to waste, prompting broader conversations around inclusion, dignity and sustainable waste management.

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