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Mpumalanga recycler Johanna Leshabane is commended for tackling land pollution and giving jobless people in her town jobs.

She told GoodNewsDaily that she had no idea her dream of combating unemployment in her community would grow into an award-winning company when she started Bophelo Recycling in 2007 following a layoff.

In the present day, the waste buy-back center gathers 36 tonnes of recyclable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic from homes, schools, and informal settlements in the Ermelo area.

She hires and trains 11 full-time employees and 20 part-time waste pickers. This means that since the start, total collection volumes have increased by 79%.

Together, the national industry body for PET recycling (PETCO) and polymer manufacturer Safripol have given Leshabane R500, 000 worth of recycling equipment.

A shipping container, power supply, trailer, roofing structure, trolleys, signage, fencing, branding, and assistance with training and mentorship were among the items that were contributed jointly.

Due in part to the support, the region has experienced economic growth, job creation, and development, and as a result, Bophelo has recently won praise from all throughout the country.

The Chemical and Allied Industries Association bestowed upon them recognition in the shape of the Responsible Care Initiative Award in the Corporate Social Responsibility category. It acknowledges how the initiative has improved the lives and means of subsistence of the people living in the Ermelo neighbourhood while also having a beneficial on the environment.

Safripol contributed R500, 000 worth of supporting infrastructure to Leshabane’s concept.

Leshabane expressed her gratitude to PETCO, Safripol, her team, the community, businesses, and schools that let Bophelo pick up their waste, saying, “I feel so blessed and very honoured.”

Without all of these folks, “I couldn’t have done it,” she remarked.

Leshabane stated that even though Covid-19 had a negative impact on the company, she still intended to expand Bophelo even more in 2021.

She stated, “I’d like to expand into another town so that we can teach more people how to start their own recycling business and create jobs in other rural areas.”

Editor’s note: Mpumalanga recycler Johanna Leshabane is commended for improving the environment and giving jobless people in her town jobs. She told GoodNewsDaily that she had no idea her dream of combating unemployment in her community would grow into an award-winning company when she started Bophelo Recycling in 2007 following a layoff.

Description: Bophelo Recycling today has employed and trained 11 full-time employees and 20 part-time waste pickers, making it a success story that should inspire other people not to lose hope when they are retrenched or can’t find employment after their contract has been terminated. The company also contributes to the cleanliness of Ermelo, a township in Mpumalanga, as trash is being collected and recycled.

Editor: Thato Mahlangu

Project manager: Do4SA