The Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, together with the Ekurhuleni Metro, have donated 50 waste-collecting scooters to waste pickers in Tembisa.

The initiative, which is in line with the Gauteng Transformation Modernisation and Reindustrialisation Plan, is a first for the country and is aimed at improving the socioeconomic wellbeing of the waste pickers.

Speaking at the launch event Gauteng Premier, David Makhura said the people of Tembisa were lucky. “We are the only government in the African content doing this and we want to expand the opportunity to make people benefit from the waste economy which is worth R17 billion in South Africa.”

Use what you have

The Premier also urged all mayors in Gauteng to work together under the Bontle Ke Botho(Beauty is humanity)  Clean and Green Campaign that is aimed at stopping littering habits through a hands-on promotion of a clean-up culture.

Re-launched in January 2016, this Campaign involves regular community cleans-ups, in order to create a litter-free Gauteng.

“I want all the mayors in Gauteng to work together on the Bontle Ke Botho Campaign,” said Premier Makhura.

“Mayors should not just start new programmes just to make a statement that I am there.  We don’t want another new programme in Johannesburg when we have programmes that are already working,” he concluded.