Vusumuzi DubeSimba Jemwa, Sunday News Correspondent
FOR the past two years, three friends have been picking up waste and exchanging it for cash.
Zodwa Mlambo (45), Ntombozuko Moyo (57) and Nomazulu Ncube (58) from Hyde Park told Sunday News they collected rubbish from people’s bins outside their homes and off the streets.
Ncube said she first came up with the idea to keep local loan sharks away.
“Long before I started picking up waste, I would run to loan sharks for money whenever I ran out of electricity,” she said.
The women have a schedule they strictly follow. They go to low density suburbs on Mondays, industries in Belmont on Tuesday and other areas on other days of the week. On Friday, they take everything to recycling companies.
Moyo said: “We have no other form of income. We must wake up every day and do this job. We get USD20 per week and we can take care of ourselves. I use my money to buy electricity as well as food for myself and my two grandchildren. I also use the money pay my council bills and buy school uniforms.”
Mlambo said she didn’t have to borrow money from people because waste picking provided her with enough.
“I use the money to take care of my mother and my son, who leave in our village in Nkayi. I don’t need anyone to come to my rescue me because I know they are not there to help but to rip me off,” Mlambo said. @RealSimbaJemwa
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter