ZELDA VENTER
The Greater Tygerberg Partnership (GTP) has unveiled a game-changer for Bellville’s informal waste pickers—innovative new trolleys designed to make waste collection easier, safer, and more efficient.
Developed in collaboration with the City of Cape Town’s Urban Waste Management Department and partners like The Institute of Waste Management of South Africa, these trolleys are not only transforming the lives of waste pickers but are also paving the way for a cleaner, greener Bellville, Cape Town’s second-largest commercial hub.
The upgraded trolleys feature an extended top section, allowing waste pickers to collect more recyclables on each run. This means fewer trips, more efficiency, and better opportunities to maximise their time and effort.
Plus, with a design focused on user safety and convenience, waste pickers can feel more secure on the job.
“This project is more than just a waste collection upgrade,” says Monique Muller, Project Manager at GTP.
She explained that it is about giving informal waste pickers the tools to do their work safely, efficiently and with dignity. Ultimately, it’s also about a cleaner, healthier Bellville for everyone.
These new trolleys are more than just a means to collect waste—they’re a step towards better working conditions, improved productivity, and even a higher income for those who rely on them to make a living. And the whole community benefits from cleaner streets and smarter recycling.
Muller said the community’s involvement is crucial to the success of this initiative. Residents can make a difference by sponsoring additional trolleys and waste bikes.
Businesses can even add their branding to these essential tools, gaining visibility while contributing a worthy cause. Additionally, residents and businesses can get involved by setting aside their recyclables for collection.
GTP offers a free recycling pick-up service, with proceeds helping waste pickers transition from the streets into more secure and economically sustainable roles.
“This initiative is proof that small, thoughtful interventions can change lives and the wider community. “By giving waste pickers what they need, we’re not just cleaning up - we’re building a community that is sustainable and inclusive, Muller said.
Residents across the country are urged to separate their waste and help both the environment and the task of the waste pickers, who are now an integral part of the landscape.
Due to their efforts in the recycling industry, South Africa is now on par in the recycling arena with European countries – 80 to 90% (by weight) of paper and packaging material recycled in South Africa is entirely due to the efforts of these green champions, the African Reclaimers Organisation, said.
According to the organisation, these reclaimers fill a critical gap in waste management in South Africa, where, in some parts, waste management services are often non-existent.
Many are members of the African Reclaimers Organisation, which was founded in 2018 and was the first organisation of recyclers that united those who work in landfills and streets.
In Gauteng, it now has more than 6,000 members and is focused on the northern suburbs of Johannesburg (Saxonwold to Midrand), as well as the central areas of Braamfontein, Parktown, Auckland Park and Brixton.
The difference these recyclers have made to our environment is enormous, and so it was hardly surprising that the organisation became the first winners of the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Living Planet Award for Organisations in 2021.