A Johannesburg nonprofit is transforming plastic collected from local rivers into practical tools, creating opportunity for communities in Soweto
Johannesburg, South Africa (22 April 2026)- As the world marks Earth Day, a Johannesburg-based organisation is showing what it looks like to turn environmental challenges into practical everyday solutions.
In Orlando West, Soweto, a small workshop is doing big things. Here, plastic waste collected from local rivers is being transformed into useful items. From pens to something even more ambitious: a fully upcycled school desk.
This is the work of Hlanzekile River and Ocean Cleaning, a Bryanston-based nonprofit that has been steadily building a model rooted in community, sustainability and opportunity.
The newly produced desk marks a major step forward. Made entirely from reclaimed plastic, it reflects the organisation’s shift from simply cleaning up waste to reimagining what that waste can become.
Floyd Nyai, the founder says waste can always be used differently.
“We have always believed that waste is not a burden. It is a resource waiting to be reimagined. Producing a school desk from plastic we pulled out of a river is not just an environmental statement. It is proof that young people in Soweto can build solutions that serve their own communities.”
The journey started with clean-ups. Since its first initiative in September 2023, Hlanzekile has removed more than 17,000 kilograms of waste from rivers including the Braamfontein Spruit, Westdene Spruit and Kliprivier. On average, about 300 kilograms of waste is collected during each Saturday session.
But for the team, collecting waste was never meant to be the final step.
Inside their Soweto workshop, recovered plastic is processed and repurposed, while young people are trained in fabrication, sustainable manufacturing and entrepreneurship.
The impact goes beyond production. Hlanzekile has also built a strong community network, with more than 200 volunteers and partnerships with organisations like the University of the Witwatersrand and Captain Fanplastic supporting its work.
There’s also a focus on inspiring the next generation. Through its annual stationery drive, primary school learners are encouraged to collect plastic waste, linking environmental action to tangible rewards like back-to-school vouchers.
As conversations around climate action continue, Hlanzekile’s work offers a practical, local example of what change can look like.
“This Earth Day, we are not just asking people to care about the planet. We are showing them what caring looks like in practice. One clean river, one upcycled pen, and now, one desk at a time.”
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