The City of Johannesburg evicts a waste collection NPO

 WastePreneurs, a waste collection non-profit organisation has been evicted from the Pirates Club, in Greenside, which is controlled by the City of Johannesburg. But it is currently utilising the premises.

The recycling initiative, now in its third year, said that they were served with a letter of eviction by the city on May 03. The management was given notification that it could no longer operate on the property leased to the Pirates Club.

It is believed that money changes hand between WastePreneurs and the Pirates club, which goes against the city’s laws and by-laws.

However, both parties refute the claim.

The City of Johannesburg announced that recycling will become mandatory as of July 01, WaterPreneurs think it’s ironic that the city introduces compulsory recycling and then evicts a successful waste collection organisation. The NPO management is concerned about effects of evicting WastePreneurs, including the livelihoods of waste pickers who bring recyclables to them. 

Steve Jordan of WastePreneurs said making recycling compulsory was a good initiative but it shouldn’t affect them badly

“This is the right decision, but it needs to be managed correctly to ensure that the recyclable waste does not end up in landfills and that incorporates the existing informal waste collection structures.

It should assist the existing informal waste collectors if they can be incorporated into the new developments.”

“[Our wish] is for WastePreneurs to continue operating as it has over the years and to become an intricate part of the new waste recycling developments within the city,” he added.

Jordan said the waste collectors who are operating through the WastePreneurs would be severely affected economically by the city’s decision to evict them.

“Their monthly earnings would be reduced by at least 60% forcing them deeper into poverty.

“They would also be deprived of a controlled area to sort their waste and would be forced to go back to sorting in open public spaces,” he said.

Nthatisi Modingoane, communication acting director for the City of Johannesburg said the city has to follow and enforce laws.

“The City of Johannesburg’s Property Management entity has a long term lease with Pirates Club in Greenside. According to the lease agreement, Pirates are not allowed to sublet or allocate space to other tenants,” said Modingoane.

“This means they did not follow the contract and they were notified accordingly through a letter.”

Even so, WastePreneurs claimed that the Pirates Club did not receive any financial gain from the NPO’s utilisation of the leased land.

In a statement released by WastePreneurs, it is alleged that an undisclosed official from the Council visited the property and verbally abused the NPO’s management.

Modingoane said: “The due processes were followed in this regard and court order to uphold this will be applied for in keeping with the due processes.”