Following Her Resignation, A KZN Woman Launches Thriving Recycling Buy-Back Centres

Nokubonga Mnyango resigned from her position as a driver and administrative clerk at a wood chipping plant in Richards Bay in 2014 due to what some neighbours called “digging in dirty dustbins.”

“I left my job as a driver/admin clerk at a Richards Bay wood chipping mill in 2014 to follow my goal of leading a litter-free community. I began encouraging people to collaborate with me, going door-to-door to raise awareness, and gathering recyclables throughout the neighbourhood,” she recalls.

She currently oversees two prosperous buy-back centres in Empangeni, providing help to 100 local rubbish collectors and employing 22 full-time employees.

She told Good News Daily that South Africa’s oldest Producer Responsibility Organisation, PETCO, had acknowledged her dedication to recycling and hard work. PETCO has helped her transition from wastepreneur to owner of a buy-back centre on behalf of its members.

Through the circular economy, Mnyango has been able to keep waste out of the environment and give it value thanks to the support. The community of Mnyango has benefited from it as well.

“I am motivated by my love and passion for the environment. People made fun of me after I quit my work for “scratching in dirty dustbins.”  However, I was aware that this devotion would take me someplace. Later, many who had before scoffed approached me for jobs,” Mnyango remarked.

About 202 tonnes of mixed recyclables, such as different plastics, paper, cardboard, and cans, are gathered by Uthando each month and then sold to recyclers.

It employs 22 people full-time to gather and sort recyclables. In addition, it purchases recyclables from one hundred waste collectors for its two operational locations in Kuleka, Empangeni, and Ngwelezane.

Thanks to PETCO’s efforts on behalf of its members over the past 18 years, Mnyango’s success story is just one of many. The law pertaining to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) was only passed in 2021.

Manufacturers of packaged goods are required by PETCO’s EPR to manage their packaging, from designing it to be recyclable to collecting it after use so that it may be recycled and repurposed.

Her desire to establish her own buy-back centre was sparked by the rubbish that was contaminating the surroundings.

Mnyango’s success story, according to PETCO CEO Cheri Scholtz, is evidence that the organisation supports its members in ways beyond just providing equipment sponsorship.

“In addition to having a beneficial environmental impact, we support business expansion, which results in jobs, sustainable livelihoods, and, on a larger scale, community upliftment,” stated Scholtz.

Scholtz said their goal is to keep our members’ packaging out of the environment.

“To that end, we assist them in designing packaging that can be recycled into other valuable items at the end of its useful life. Our ability to collect, recycle, and reuse packaging contributes to the development of a circular economy.”

Editor’s note: Mnyango’s success story shows that with the right focus and the necessary support one can realise their goals – no matter what.

Description: Nokubonga Mnyango resigned from her position as a driver and administrative clerk at a wood chipping plant in Richards Bay to start two successful waste reclaiming and recycling companies.

Editor: Thato Mahlangu

Project manager: Do4SA