Staff Reporter
Bloemfontein – Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality is stepping up its recycling and waste-diversion initiatives as it seeks to reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill sites, while continuing to grapple with machinery breakdowns and human-resource shortages.
Speaking from the city’s landfill site, Dr Thabang Thinda outlined plans to formalise waste reclaimers through profiling and registration, with registered reclaimers set to receive access cards. The initiative is intended to bring greater structure to reclaiming activities while supporting reclaimers to operate through sustainable cooperatives.
WATCH
Dr Thinda explains the municipality’s waste-management challenges, the formalisation of reclaimers and its plans to divert more waste away from landfill.
WATCH
The municipality is also expanding its separation-at-source programme, with 500 participants and a further 800 waste participants recruited as part of the initiative. The city is encouraging participants to establish cooperatives that can develop into income-generating businesses while promoting recycling within their communities.
Dr Thinda discusses the separation-at-source programme and the municipality’s plans to take recycling into schools, beginning with 10 schools in Thaba Nchu through the handover of recycling bins.
The city is simultaneously tackling illegal dumping through Operation Letsema, which recently saw a cleaning campaign held in Loriba Park involving the community and NGOs. Thinda said the municipality also plans to rehabilitate illegal dumping hotspots through initiatives such as tree planting and community involvement, with the programme eventually extending across all seven regions of Mangaung.
WATCH:
Dr Thinda speaks about Operation Letsema, rehabilitating illegal dumping sites and the municipality’s appeal to residents to pay their rates and taxes to help sustain waste management services.
Support Independent Journalism
Stories like this matter. Accountability matters. Truth matters.
If you believe in fearless, independent reporting that holds power to account, help us keep going.
Your contribution, even as little as R10 makes a difference.
Choane Group (Pty) Ltd
FNB: 63110371703
If you have news or tips please email news@stepupsanews.co.za or WhatsApp: 068 507 6731
Independent. Unbought. Unfiltered.
More Stories
VIDEO | “We are paying R205,955 per month for security” – Nokuthula Chakane on Mangaung Taxi Rank
MACUFE 2026 Chronicles: 24 Media Houses to Be Paid by “Donation”, With SLAs to Be Issued Post-Event
FSPG uses grants to campaign for ANC after media summit failed