The reason we write this letter is to share our perspective on trash and the dump site. The waste pickers are from the poorest households in the city and are systemically forced into waste picking because there are no alternative life opportunities – as we all know Makhanda has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. Regardless, barely any progress has been made by any stakeholders to ensure the health and safety of the pickers.
We found that the waste pickers have to sort out the trash that is discarded at the municipal site without any form of protection and are exposed to health hazards. This is because waste pickers (and many other workers in the informal sector of the economy) are not protected by formal labour laws or by government.
While the waste pickers are on the frontlines, sorting through hazardous materials, middle-men reap the benefits of their labour. The recycling industry does not recognise waste pickers as equitable partners and doing so is an essential first step in creating a greener and more inclusive economy.
Some contributions we wish the municipality would provide are:
Working gear including overalls, gloves, boots, goggles and sticks.
Health care
Waste management - visible sorting areas for appropriate waste to be used by the public and private sectors Sanitation facilities on the site
Greening of the area (vegetation)
By working with the waste pickers, we have come to realise that waste picking has great potential for economic success and subsequent betterment of the quality of life of waste pickers. The waste pickers also improve broader communities and contribute toward the municipality's mandate to supply services, maintain its town, townships and properties.
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