The Palmer Street Recycling Facility: Creating change in Informal Recycling

Priyanka Govender Many have seen a woman pulling a mountainous heap of stacked cardboard on a trolley, straining to navigate the hot and cluttered Durban sidewalk as we drove past on our way to somewhere else. It’s a natural occurrence where we live that not many have spared this more than a passing thought. But … Read more

Informal Recycling within the city of Durban

Chloë Lead and Matthew Robbins When we arrive Sibongile Muthwa is putting on her gloves. She wears her safety boots, her hat is tightly fastened with a drawstring and her bottle of water sits snugly within her apron pocket. In front of her sits her cart, laden with all the strapping, rope and plastic bags … Read more

Women recyclers taking care of the city

Misiwe Maphumulo and Sarah Heneck Recycling has a multitude of benefits; it protects the environment, saves the municipality money, and helps many people sustain their livelihoods. Let’s unpack this a little bit: Protecting the environment: Recyclable materials such as cardboard, paper, plastic, cans and glass that are not recycled either ends up as litter in … Read more

Creating safer working spaces for women recyclers

Misiwe Maphumulo Street trade is pervasive and a source of employment and income for many urban dwellers. WIEGOs recent /survey shows that 61% of livelihoods are earned through informal work. A secure environment is a prerequisite for formal business, this shouldn’t be any different for the informal sectors. Everywhere informal recyclers experience strong prejudice and … Read more

Durban loses a legend: Informal Recycler Afrika Ntuli

Tasmi Quazi On the eve of 31 May 2016, renowned Durban informal recycler, Afrika Ntuli, shockingly passed away after being knocked by a motor vehicle at a pedestrian crossing near his place of work in the Central Business District (CBD) precinct. The news of the accident was conveyed by the police to fellow informal recycler, … Read more