Last updated on 03/08/2022
A waste recycling project near the internationally renowned Kruger National Park is bringing hope to residents in the area crippled by a lack of jobs and a few economic opportunities.
The Swikoxeni Waste Recycling Project which is a collaboration between local community business and the SA National Parks is located between the villages of Lilydale and Justicia in the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality in Mpumalanga.
The villages are located near the Kruger Gate leading into the Kruger National Park. The only few available job opportunities in the area are in the game lodges around the villages and the Kruger National Park.
However many people lost their jobs during the Covid-19 lockdown when tourism activities came to a standstill due to the international travel ban that restricted travellers from visiting.
“I want this project to grow bigger and employ more people from this area,” says Rhulani Sibiya, 24, who has been working at the Swikoxeni Waste Recycling Project for the past month. The Lilydale resident lost her previous job during the Covid-19 lockdown.
“I was working at a laundry at a lodge for 11 years. But during the lockdown we were retrenched. It was tough being without a job. I have a child who is studying at tertiary and I was battling to send money for food. I could not even buy a tomato. It was hard. I started volunteering by collecting bottles at taverns around Lilydale and Huntingdon. It was better than staying at home. I could not even I would love to see this project grow,” says Shirley Ndlovu, 46, who has been with the project for over a month.
A World Bank economic analysis for South Africa report published in 2021 found that job losses in COVID-19 times are disproportionally concentrated among low income earners, worsening already severe inequalities despite the government’s decisive and pro-poor response with transfer programs that partially cushioned the negative impacts of the pandemic. Low-wage workers suffered almost four times more job losses than high-wage earners.
In addition, the report shows that the COVID-19 pandemic crisis has exposed structural weaknesses in the job market. Young people, in particular face acute unemployment rates, with incidence twice as high as among older age groups. Among 15–24-year-olds, 63% are unemployed and looking for work, whereas among 25–34-year-olds, this rate reaches 41%. When discouraged workers are included, unemployment rates are as high as 74% for 15–24-year-olds and 51% for 25–34-year-olds.
The Swikoxeni Waste Recycling Project provides services in the waste management and treatment sector which include recycling, waste treatment and collection. It also focuses on providing environmental awareness, education and campaigns.
The project also encourages the introduction of eco-clubs in local schools to educate students about environmental issues, Each year they adopt 5 local schools and help them to sustain their school yard by keeping it green and encouraging them to use natural resources.
The department of environment notes in its recycling training manual that the lack or absence of municipal recycling infrastructure which will enable separation of waste at source and diversion of waste streams to material recovery and buy back facilities does contribute to having a huge impact
on the landfill as the amount of recyclables not sorted and diverted from the landfill consumes the airspace resulting in the need to construct new landfill sites.
It further notes that both waste collection and the recycling industry make meaningful
contributions to job creation.
Project director Bethuel Mashele said the project which was started in 2016 currently employs 20 people.
He said the project gathers about 60 tons worth of bottles each month. This generates revenue of about R50 000.
“We are trying to increase the lifespan of the population of the animals and ourselves. These days there are so many things that affect the environment like global warming.”
