Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutum, [email protected]
A local entrepreneur, Mr Merchant Munemo, has successfully transformed the Gwanda Town rubbish dump into a commercial centre by establishing a facility for compressing and baling waste for export.
Mr Munemo, who possesses nearly a decade of experience in solid waste management, has set up the operation to process various types of discarded materials. The initiative aims to leverage waste as a valuable export commodity.
Mr Munemo founded his company, Trash Terminators, six years ago in Beitbridge and identified a promising business opportunity in Gwanda, leading to the establishment of a second branch in the mining town in April 2025.
He has contributed to job creation in the community, now employing 10 workers.
In Beitbridge, his business collects between 25 and 30 tonnes of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) material per month, 10 tonnes of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), 15 tonnes of Polypropylene (PP), and 40 tonnes of scrap metal, all of which are exported to South Africa.
At the Gwanda Town dumpsite, Mr Munemo has installed a baler machine after being allocated working space by the Gwanda Municipality.
He began his journey in waste management in Zvishavane, his rural home, where he collected scrap using scotch carts.
“Our main offices are in Beitbridge, where we’ve been operating for about six years now, and we recently expanded to Gwanda. When I visited the Gwanda dumpsite, I noticed a large amount of PET material lying idle.
“As someone who understands the value of waste, I saw a business opportunity and approached the council, which allocated me land. Within a month, we’ve already collected around 15 tonnes of PET, and we’re optimistic about collecting more. We’re working on increasing our visibility in town to attract more pickers,” said Mr Munemo.
Mr Munemo said that his company works with pickers, who collect waste and sell it to them.
The waste is then compressed into bales using a baler machine and exported to South Africa. The materials are used to manufacture products such as fibre and poly pipes.
Their target is to bale 20 to 25 tonnes of waste per month in Gwanda for export.
He also revealed plans to begin collecting and baling light metal using a subgrade baler, noting the strong business potential for waste collection and management in Gwanda.
“In Beitbridge, my business has a broader scope — we deal in scrap metal, PET, aluminium cans and HD. We have a larger industrial yard, and the machines are powered by electricity.
“Here in Gwanda, the machines run on diesel as the dumpsite has no electricity. I’ve conducted research on the equipment needed to expand operations here, including a granulator to break down waste into smaller sizes,” said Mr Munemo.
Mr Munemo said his experience in solid waste management has taught him that having a clear vision and conducting thorough research are key to growing a business. His research led him to discover export markets, and he has since acquired an export permit.
Understanding available markets, he said, is crucial for assessing business viability and meeting demand.
Some of the pickers, who supply Mr Munemo shared how vital having buyers is for their livelihoods.
“We come to the dumpsite every day to collect waste, which we sell to different buyers. I’ve been doing this for six years, and the money I earn helps support my family. When more buyers come, our income increases. As pickers, we don’t have the resources to buy equipment to bale and transport waste to recycling companies. Having a middleman really helps us,” said Ms Simangaliso Nyoni from Garikai area.
Gwanda Mayor, Alderman Thulani Moyo, said waste management players like Mr Munemo are helping the town improve its waste management systems, reducing the volume of waste transported to the dumpsite.
He said that such initiatives also support the province’s zero-waste movement.
Matabeleland South Province has launched its zero-waste campaign, which promotes proper waste disposal and management under the theme: “The Globe is Our Home — Zero Waste, My Responsibility.” — @DubeMatutu.
