From rubbish to riches

The unemployed youth of Moletjie village, outside Polokwane, in Limpopo, have learnt how to turn their waste into a business opportunity and make a living.

Thanks to an e-waste management programme launched in the area as part of activities planned to celebrate Mandela Day, the youth can now earn some money by selling waste.

About 20 unemployed youth from the village have been selected and trained on how to crash and dismantle old and unused electrical appliances by Samsung SA.

The event was coordinated by the Samsung SA, Government Communication and Information System’s (GCIS) leadership, the Limpopo Provincial Government and the Polokwane Municipality to celebrate the Mandela Day.

One of the youth who will benefit from the project is Edson Moloto. He told SAnews that the project will open opportunities for him and others to start their own businesses.

Moloto is one of the many unemployed young people, who after completing their matric, struggled to find employment.

“The project has developed me, I am now thinking of starting my own business. This is an opportunity that I have been waiting for,” he said.

Echoing similar sentiments was Jonathan Lamola who said he now knew how to manage waste effectively, especially the electrical appliances.

“I now know how to crash and dismantle old and unused electrical appliances,” he said.

According to Samsung SA official, PitsoKekana, Samsung SA encourages young people to do business out of waste.

“We encourage young people to start their own businesses out of waste. We teach them how to crash and dismantle old electrical appliances and sell them,” Kekana said.

Kekana explained that Samsung SA saw a need to train young people about business opportunities available to them.

As a part of the Mandela Day event, the South African Brewery (SAB) also donated blankets and groceries to the elderly people.

SAB Corporate Manager SandileNkosi called on communities to discourage pregnant women from drinking alcohol.

Nkosi also urged residents to keep their communities clean.

“We have to do good for our communities. We are governed by a principle to create a better world. With the help from government and communities, we can achieve a clean world,” he said.