Mayor announces plan to train waste pickers to turn waste into wealth

A meeting held at the Buffelsdraai Sports Field over the weekend had a positive outcome for the waste pickers and the community of Verulam.

Last month the Buffelsdraai Landfill Site was closed indefinitely by the eThekwini Municipality following a clash between waste pickers, a security company and staff at the landfill site.

The landfill site was looted and torched in a violent confrontation which led to the death of one person and several injuries. At the time eThekwini Mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda said the landfill sites had adverse effects on human life and the municipality could not risk having waste pickers inside such sites. Mr Kaunda said he understood the plight of waste pickers and would come up with a solution of providing them with a site for recycling purposes.

“We want to promote waste management. We also want our people to derive financial value as a means of providing for their families. That is why they will be trained on how to transform waste to wealth,” added Mr Kaunda.

On Saturday August 26, he met with the community to give feedback and unveil plans for the waste pickers. He also addressed issues raised by the community following the closure of the Buffelsdraai Landfill Site. He said he was pleased to report that the city had begun with the process of profiling waste pickers in the area and this process will culminate in the establishment of a community recycling programme in the next six months.

The municipality is currently engaging various private sector companies who will partner with the city to implement the programme, said Mr Kaunda. This initiative would also help keep the community clean and address the challenge of illegal dumping sites.

“About 40 young people will be recruited for a period of three months to clean the area and clear illegal dumping sites. We have also commenced with the programme of establishing a waste segregation site in the vicinity of the landfill site,” said Mr Kaunda. “Those who are no longer interested in waste picking have been assisted in forming agricultural cooperatives.”

Among the issues raised by the community was the challenge of homelessness to which Mr Kaunda responded that as part of the city’s intervention, 22 homeless people were undergoing rehabilitation programmes in various health institutions.

He said they would be channelled through various skills development programmes which were run by the municipality. Those who have qualifications would be enrolled to the municipality’s work readiness programme and receive monthly stipends, Mr Kaunda said.

“We have also profiled young people who dropped out of tertiary institutions, and they will be assisted to secure financial aid to further their studies. We also want to commend the Department of Social Development for coming on board to assist indigent families through providing food vouchers,” he added.

The Department of Home Affairs has also partnered with the city to assist members of the community without identity documents and birth certificates.