FUTURE: Green Trolley
By ZELDA VENTER
THE Greater Tygerberg Partnership (GTP) has unveiled a game-changer for Bellville’s informal waste pickers - innovative new trolleys designed to make waste collection easier, safer, and more efficient.
Developed in collaboration with the City of Cape Town’s Urban Waste Management Department and partners like The Institute of Waste Management of South Africa, these trolleys are not only transforming the lives of waste pickers but are also paving the way for a cleaner, greener Bellville, Cape Town’s second-largest commercial hub.
The upgraded trolleys feature an extended top section, allowing waste pickers to collect more recyclables on each run. This means fewer trips, more efficiency, and better opportunities to maximise their time and effort.
Plus, with a design focused on user safety and convenience, waste pickers can feel more secure on the job.
GPT Project Manager Monique Muller says: “This project is more than just a waste collection upgrade.”
She explains that it is about giving informal waste pickers the tools to do their work safely, efficiently and with dignity. Ultimately, it’s also about a cleaner, healthier Bellville for everyone.
Monique adds: “This initiative is proof that small, thoughtful interventions can change lives and the wider community.
“By giving waste pickers what they need, we’re not just cleaning up - we’re building a community that is sustainable and inclusive.”
Due to their efforts in the recycling industry, South Africa is now on par in the recycling arena with European countries – 80 to 90% (by weight) of paper and packaging material recycled in South Africa is entirely due to the efforts of these green champions, the African Reclaimers Organisation, said.
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