Frieda goes from jobless to top woman in recycling
After losing her job due to retrenchment in 2009, Frieda Willemse from Hallgate raised from the ashes and started her own small recycling business.
After losing her job due to retrenchment in 2009, Frieda Willemse from Hallgate raised from the ashes and started her own small recycling business – not only to create an income for herself, but also to financially sustain her household and contribute towards their expenses.
Little did she know that in less than 10 years, her hard work and tenacity in the industry will be recognised and awarded by PETCO. PETCO is the trading name of the PET Recycling Company NPC, a company incorporated in 2004 to represent the South African PET plastic industry’s joint effort to self-regulate post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling.
Frieda was presented with a certificate and medal in the Top Women in Recycling category at the PETCO Awards 2018, which was held at the JSE Building in Sandton on June 7. This category recognises the importance of women in leadership, specifically within the recycling sector in South Africa and aims to grow the number of female role models for future leaders.
As plastic waste collector and recycler, Frieda services areas such as Leandra, Greylingstad, Devon, Balfour, Meyerton, Heidelberg and Nigel.
“I am proud of what my team and I achieved the past nine years. Without my team and plastic contributions from my clients in all service areas, it would not have been possible for me to win this award,” Frieda said.
Since her humble beginnings in 2009, Frieda’s business has grown to a level where she now employs eight full time workers and a number of part time workers. She has also been able to buy a secondhand baling machine (baled products receive better prices) and purchased a secondhand forklift for the heavy lifting.
She encourages other women to look inside themselves for strength and courage in times when life pushes you to the ground.
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