Level 4 measures ensure relief for waste picker
His livelihood is dependent on picking up waste in and around Kwa-Thema, which he then takes to local recycling companies for a few coins.
Kwa-Thema – Informal recycler Nkululeko Morapedi is delighted to be working again.
His livelihood is dependent on picking up waste in and around Kwa-Thema, which he then takes to local recycling companies for a few coins.
“I wasn’t so stressed when the first lockdown was announced, but as time went by the reality kicked in because initially I didn’t think it was going to last this long.
“Picking up waste helps me to put food on the table for myself and to be able to purchase basic needs.
“Going to bed hungry can really kill your spirit and, unfortunately, for most of us that is a real thing as we do not have any alternatives, with the unemployment rate already alarming. Therefore, we are even more doomed after this lockdown, should it end,” explains Morapedi.
After Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the country would be moving to Level 4, Ebrahim Patel, the Minister of Trade and Industry, announced that recycling centres including waste pickers would as from May 1 be allowed to return to work.
“So far work it’s not as bad as there are more things to take in for recycling as lots of people have been home. It is evident that while people are more at home they tend to eat more and dispose of a lot of waste.
“The challenge I face is that people do not separate their waste for recycling, they just dump it as it is.
“And sometimes it ends up in a bad state that we cannot take it for recycling,” he adds.
He says he is hesitant to apply for the social grant relief.
“I am not sure if I will be applying for the unemployment grant. I am demotivated to apply because of all the corruption that takes place in our country unless I will change my mind on a later stage.”
Also read: Keep your recyclable waste at home for waste pickers to fetch after lockdown
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