Informal recyclers, or waste pickers who normally go through your wheely bins before Pikitup takes away your trash, are reportedly planning to demonstrate tomorrow (5 July) in Braamfontein.
Nico de Jager, MMC for Environment and Infrastructure services, said he was informed that the recyclers are from Randburg, Northcliff and Roodepoort.
“In their correspondence, they indicate that the protest action is… [about] the lack of consultation by Pikitup, and the appointment by Pikitup of service providers to carry out the separation-at-source of recyclable waste in the aforementioned areas.”
Pikitup managing director, Lungile Dhlamini, assured De Jager that the entity did consult with the informal recyclers and their various representatives. “Consultative meetings were held in September and October 2016, culminating into a two-day workshop which was held in May 2017.”
De Jager said he was also assured that Pikitup is fully committed to working with the informal recyclers.
“During the consultative process, the need for waste pickers to organise themselves into a representative forum was emphasised, as it is impossible to consult with every waste picker in the City. Furthermore, one of the critical deliverables by the appointed service providers is for the service providers to partner and work with waste pickers in order to mitigate territorial disputes.”
De Jager said that currently there are enough recyclable materials for everyone involved in the waste recycling sector, including waste pickers.
He said the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Bin Pilot Study conducted on behalf of Pikitup between January and March concluded that approximately 52kg per capita per day is collected by informal recyclers. Another study De Jager referred to showed that households on average generate 7,05kg per capita per week across different income groups.
“Therefore, Pikitup will be accelerating the separation-at-source programme, and other similar programmes with the goal of recycling and diverting approximately 73 000 tonnes of recycled waste per annum over the next five years.”
Related articles:
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure
Mashaba will not privatise Pikitup
