Fighting unemployment through recycling

Hendrina Recycling is turning waste into work and contributing to a greener future.

Recycling waste material is not just about keeping the environment clean but can also create jobs and sustain the local economy. 

This is according to Refiloe Ramadikela of Middelburg in Mpumalanga, who is the coowner of Hendrina Recycling. The company was established in 2020 and is situated in the small town of Hendrina in Mpumalanga.

Hendrina Recycling collects and sorts recyclables and operates a buy-back centre to reduce the waste volumes that end up in landfills and contribute to a greener future.

“I started the company with my husband Andries Ramadikela during the COVID-19 pandemic. We could not wait to start the business back then, even though we were uncertain about the future because of the pandemic,” explained Ramadikela.

The company is part of the Zonda Insila Programme (ZIP), which was launched in 2019 by the Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs. 

ZIP subsidises the employment of eight people at Hendrina Recycling for two years. 

With more than 14 projects across district municipalities in the province, ZIP aims to create job opportunities and empower young people to start and sustain their businesses in the waste-recycling sector. 

Ramadikela, who is currently studying towards a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Management with the University of South Africa, said Hendrina Recycling has so far 29 local employees. 

“We collect waste from landfills, other buy-back-centres, local businesses, retail stores, Hendrina Power Station and the local township. We also allow local waste pickers to weigh waste daily at our site. We cover a 200-km radius, with Hendrina town being our central point,” she said. 

The business also creates informal employment by buying from people who pick up waste that has been disposed of.

Toxic waste

Ramadikela started the business after realising how toxic plastic and other waste materials can harm the environment. 

“Through my studies, I have seen the effects of global warming and the impact of our carbon footprint on our planet and plastic is at the centre of all that,” she said. 

Ramadikela added that plastic is recyclable and if all people do their bit, it will be easier to keep plastic out of water and soil. 

“This is essential for future generations and it is our duty to take care of our environment and all its abundance,” she said. 

Ramadikela said the business would not survive without support from the PET Recycling Company (PETCO), which is a non-profit company. This is a Producer Responsibility Organisation for polyethene terephthalate, which is used to make plastic bottles, jars and tubs for food items, among others.

PETCO supports recyclers with community programmes, educational material and awareness programmes on recycling.“PETCO helped us from the planning stages and continues to influence our growth. A lot of our research comes from the content it produces on its website and social media platforms. It also provided us with a trailer, data capturing system, training and bulk bags,” she said. 

This Women’s Month, Ramadikela encourages women to stand together, share ideas and explore careers in all industries because more women are needed in every industry. 

“We have a space to occupy and we must believe that we are capable and worthy to be in any field we choose. We stand for the same values and we have a society that is inclusive and protects us today, because of the acts of the women of 1956,” she concluded.