Launch of buy back centre promotes a cleaner environment

To promote a cleaner environment and greater economic development in townships, the Gauteng Department of Social Development, Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment launched the Reashoma buy-back centre in Soweto on Friday.

A number of stakeholders attended the event led by department which raised awareness of waste management, and its recycling efforts.

Additionally, this was done on behalf of the communities whose lack of resources prevents them from keeping the environment clean.

The department highlighted that although collecting rubbish was often stigmatised, it’s work demonstrated that there was “gold in front of our houses through this initiative,” and money to be made.

Lerato Makube, founder of Eco Care Holdings, spoke about her business and its challenges, and how she was succeeding as an entrepreneur by turning waste into money.

“When you are in business as an entrepreneur, you tend to focus on the next big thing. So finding money to grow the business, finding space, and finding the right people were some of the challenges we encountered along the way. When you have the wrong people in the business, you are bound to come across a number of challenges.

“And again, when you start a business, you do not hire an HR manager because you can’t afford it, so you are the HR manager. You also can’t hire an IT specialist; you are the IT specialist. So you all of those things,” she said.

Makube also spoke about the department’s role in supporting environmental initiatives: “These kinds of initiatives are raising awareness not only about environmental issues but also about the support that is available from them as a department. So they do not give you funding in hard cash, but the support comes in non-financial ways, so you will identify your needs as a business. When you have started, it is easier for them to render support.

“What I like about these initiatives is that when you have started, by the time they come, you will have identified your most pressing needs with your strongest needs.

“It does not only raise awareness for operators of buy-back centres but also in the community in which the centres operate. People think buy-back centres are only for junkies. And they are not. Buy-back centres are designed for households and for anybody that generates waste.”

Sustainability Projects Manager at Heineken, Molatelo Motau, spoke about environmental sustainability and having recently stepped up their drive, moving to a 65% returnable glass for beer portfolio this year.

“Sustainability is very important, even in job creation. Often, corporations tend to say they want to create jobs, but these are not intentional jobs. So for us, it is a job where a person is able to get a minimum wage, but outside of that minimum wage, a person is able to strive to get more money.

“So with these smaller businesses that are around and smaller buy-back centres, we ideally want to take them from point A to where this lady (Makube) is. That is the story we want to tell,” said Motau.

The Star

anita.nkonki@inl.co.za