Waste pickers in Louis Trichardt have rejected claims by the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET) that they are responsible for littering town streets.
In a media alert issued on 3 December, LEDET urged waste pickers to exercise "thoughtfulness and a certain level of etiquette" while conducting their work. The statement expressed dissatisfaction with what it called "the thoughtless manner in which waste picking is conducted across our municipalities," noting that tearing refuse bags before collection exposes waste and contributes to untidiness. It also highlighted that stray dogs exacerbate the problem by scattering rubbish.
However, waste pickers interviewed by Limpopo Mirror denied causing littering.
"This is my means of living. I lost my job during the Covid-19 period. I make sure I open the bags carefully and repack any unwanted garbage," said a 35-year-old woman from Nzhelele, who preferred not to be named. She collects empty cardboard boxes from KFC in Songozwi Street near Spar and from Game, travelling daily by bus from Nzhelele to Louis Trichardt to gather cardboard, cans, and beer bottles for recycling. "I do not make much money from this, but it's enough for me and my two children," she said.
Other waste pickers along President Street expressed similar views. "Our usual place is the skip bin behind Spar. Whenever garbage is thrown here, we open the bags, select what we need for recycling, and then close and repack the bag before returning it to the skip," said a 36-year-old man, who also asked to remain anonymous.
While defending their practices, waste pickers acknowledged the department's concerns but insisted they handled waste carefully and did not leave rubbish scattered.
LEDET, in its statement, reiterated its support for the work done by waste pickers, recognising their contribution to recycling as valuable. However, it stressed that such work "must be carried out in a manner that does not cause environmental degradation or nuisance to residents."