A student from Parktown Boys was caught on camera yesterday, helping a man pull his trolley up Witkoppen hill.
The informal recycling trolley entrepreneurs that work tirelessly everyday digging through rubbish to pull out materials that can be recycled. They then take them to a recycling plant to exchange them for cash.
Victoria Mok was so inspired by the simple act of kindness that she took a photo while driving in Fourways on Witkoppen Road.
The identity of the Parktown Boys student is unknown at this time but we salute him all the same.
In South Africa it is estimated that 85,000 people make a living as waste pickers. Internationally research reveals that around 15 million people in developing countries work as waste pickers. Waste pickers are people who collect, sort, and sell reusable and recyclable materials (such as paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, metal) primarily in an informal capacity.
Research by the Institute of Waste Management of South Africa reveals that the average South African waste picker can earn an income of up to R120 per day.
“Informal recycling is a low-tech activity with minimal carbon emissions, and therefore plays a critical role towards environmental sustainability” says Tasmi Quazi a researcher for AeT. In particular waste pickers contribute to higher levels of recycling within cities and towns, and help to divert waste from landfills explains Quazi.
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