Cape Town - Community members and the waste entrepreneurs in low-income areas have received over R10 million in cash for their trash.

This is from ensuring that more than 10 million kilograms of waste have been diverted from landfill through Packa-Ching, a Polyco recycling initiative supported by Shoprite.

The Packa-Ching mobile units incentivise communities with limited recycling infrastructure to collect and recycle waste.

Individuals are paid instantly via a cashless eWallet system when they bring recyclable packaging materials, including plastic, glass, cans and paper to be weighed and ultimately recycled.

These funds can be used at any participating retailer, or withdrawn or transferred to anyone in South Africa. The initiative’s model is entrepreneur-focused, and each Packa-Ching mobile unit is owner-operated.

In 2017 Packa-Ching launched its first mobile unit in Langa, Cape Town, and it has since expanded nationwide with huge success – the 15th Packa-Ching unit recently launched in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal.

Co-owner of Mpilenhle Packa-Ching in Newcastle, Phila Dlamini, said: “Newcastle is a job-scarce area and we’ve seen the positive impact that our first unit had on our business and the community.

“As more people see value in recycling, the demand has grown tremendously. People can earn a living, and with our new unit we’ve created five permanent jobs.

By servicing more than 80 communities and schools across South Africa, Dlamini said Packa-Ching has created over 55 new jobs since its inception via the Shoprite Group’s participation in the Yes (Youth Employment Service) initiative – a collaborative effort between government, business and labour.

John Ndava, project manager of Packa-Ching in Philippi, said that through the Packa-Ching mobile buy-back centre they have been able to employ people and help them be able to take care of their families.

“The education involved helps enhance their personal development and prepares them for further opportunities within the waste and recycling industry,” he said.

Sustainability manager of the Shoprite Group, Sanjeev Raghubir, said this initiative aligned with their efforts to uplift lives every day through programmes that promote sustainable practices and reduce the impact on the environment while providing economic opportunity in vulnerable areas.

Cape Argus