Originally published on 03 June 2019

In the busy city of Johannesburg, informal waste pickers play a big role in recycling. Still, they faced many challenges and stigma – people looked down on them and did not trust them. These waste pickers were so often ignored even though they were very important to the city's waste management and environmental efforts.

What was the problem?

In Johannesburg, informal waste pickers like Thembekile Mokoena faced daily struggles as they moved through the city. Even though they recycled up to 90% of plastic and packaging, people often saw them as a problem, and security guards harassed them. Without formal recognition and support, they were open to mistreatment.

How did they solve it?

People worked to include waste pickers more in the city's recycling system. Groups like Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO) fought for waste pickers' rights and started projects to protect them from harassment. The Department of Environmental Affairs made rules to make their work official, including signing up and paying them for their work. In some communities, talks between residents and waste pickers helped people respect and understand each other, slowly changing how people saw them, making more welcoming places and helping waste pickers to earn money.

Acknowledgements:

Original article written by: Kim Harrisberg - Thomson Reuters Foundation

Photograph supplied by: Siphiwe Sibeko - Reuters

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