The socio-economic differences between landfill and street waste pickers in the Free State province of South Africa
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Date
2016Author
Schenck, Catherina J.
Blaauw, Phillip F.
Viljoen, Jacoba M.M.
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Waste picking is an important survival strategy of many people
throughout the developing world. South Africa has a sizeable
waste picker population who ply their trade on municipal landfill
sites as well as on the streets of cities and towns. This study lifts
the lid on this neglected area of research by analysing and
comparing landfill and street waste pickers side by side in a socioeconomic context. Samples of waste pickers were drawn from the
three main municipalities of Mangaung, Matjhabeng and
Metsimaholo in the Free State province of South Africa and a
questionnaire-based survey was conducted. Among the findings
was that waste picking offers a financial lifeline when, due to
inadequate schooling and grinding poverty, individuals would be
hard pressed to find employment in the formal economy. The
study lays an important foundation for further comparative and
qualitative research into this important segment of South Africa’s
informal economy.