Safer carts for informal waste collectors

Sfiso Ngobese took a simple conversation with a waste collector and started a a social enterprise called ‘Abomakgereza’, which provides township waste collectors with durable carts that double up as billboards.

This environmentally-concious man, who was raised by a single parent, understands the struggles of poverty.

He said talking to the woman who collected his waste every Friday changed his life and he hopes to changes other people’s outlook on the environment.

The 31-year-old Sfiso’s Abomakgereza upliftment project started when he built one cart for the waste collector.

“I built the cart to make her life easier. While I was making the cart, I became inspired to start the project to ultimately help other waste collectors too,” he said.

Sfiso was one of the Johannesburg companies featured at Empowertec Africa, which was held recently.

Abomakgereza is not a business but a community upliftment project which aims to empower South African informal waste collectors with functional, safer and durable waste trolleys.

“I wanted to fix a problem that has been eating away at me. That problem was to enable the community’s many waste collectors, who make a living from collecting waste, to do it safely,” said Sfiso.

“The original trolleys were not safe as they were wonky and the bags were damaged. With this new cart, it allows them to collect more waste as they are bigger, has a braking system and they are highly visible at night,” said Sfiso.

It is evident he has put a lot of thought into the safety features.

Sifiso believes businesses have a moral responsibility to change society and must solve social problems.

His project has changed the lives of informal waste collectors in Johannesburg, as they can now do what must be done to put bread on the table in a safe manner.

His plan is to take the project to other provinces.