Older reclaimers work without toilets or running water at Free State landfill

In the Nyakallong township of the Free State, a group of older waste reclaimers continue their daily work without the basic amenities of toilets or running water. Among them is 58-year-old Tankiso Khamadi, who battles respiratory issues and has been battling TB since last year. Khamadi and his fellow reclaimers are among the few who still work at the landfill, supplemented by their social grants of R2600 a month or a Social Relief of Distress grant of R370.

These reclaimers face challenges such as low buying prices from middlemen, fewer corporate waste streams, and difficult environmental conditions in the area. Many earn between R300 and R600 per week. Dingaan Mohapi, the provincial coordinator of the South African Waste Pickers Association, visited the landfill and expressed concern over the lack of security and inadequate facilities for the elderly reclaimers. Mohapi plans to register the reclaimers as members of SAWPA to advocate for their rights.

Ward councillors Paseka Ramatisa and Clement Hanisi acknowledged the concerns and promised to engage the municipality's waste and refuse department to improve the landfill's conditions. Khamadi, who has worked as a reclaimer since 2015, continues to collect recyclables to support his family, but his Social Relief of Distress grant is insufficient to sustain them.