While many of us are feeling frustrated cooped up in our homes, spare a thought for Johannesburg’s informal recyclers or waste reclaimers. South Africa has 90 000 informal waste reclaimers who haul trolleys across the city to collect tins, plastic and paper. Under coronavirus lockdown, municipal waste collections have continued but the movements and livelihoods of the waste reclaimers have been frozen.
The Supplier Development Initiative Force (SDI), an innovative organisation that traditionally enables SME’s from Alexandra with corporates in Sandton, put together a special fundraising initiative using the Momba Foundation and Unity Values. SDI Force confirm they managed to raise R1,6 million from corporates and individuals which has made possible the purchase of food packs and sanitisers for homeless people and reclaimers that the City of Johannesburg has not been able to care for.
Today, Thursday 9 April, the teams joined forces with the City of Johannesburg – Region E, Sandton SAPS, Fidelity ADT and others to assist with a handout of 1030 food parcels and sanitisers/soap to local recyclers and some of the homeless at Innesfree Park and the Field and Study in Parkmore. This is just one of many such initiatives which will be rolled out across Johannesburg.
Steven Bronks, Community Development Manager for Fidelity ADT says a number of Fidelity ADT Specialised Response Unit teams and senior officers assisted with the exercise today. “Our officers felt honoured to take part and assist in this great initiative.” Says Bronks
ENDS