Landfill woes are a threat to reclaimers' livelihoods

Reclaimers rely on retrieving waste from Joburg's dumpsites to sell to recycling companies. But at least three landfill sites in the city are at or nearing capacity and must be closed

- Aarti Bhana

Reclaimers at the Marie Louise landfill in Johannesburg say they are at risk of losing their income as the city and its waste management company Pikitup vacillate on whether to close the site, which is nearing full capacity.

Close to 300 reclaimers retrieve general waste from the landfill site, including plastic, paper, cardboard and fabric discarded from households, and sell it to recycling companies.

They said the redirection of waste to Johannesburg's other sites, which are also reaching capacity, would threaten their livelihoods.

Four of the six active landfills owned by Pikitup are estimated to have less than a year of space left, with the Marie Louise site having already reached capacity in January, according to a landfill survey conducted in June last year.

According to Pikitup’s 2025-26 business plan, the Goudkoppies landfill is estimated to close in February, followed by the Robinson Deep landfill in May next year and the Ennerdale landfill in July.

The reclaimers and their representative, the African Reclaimers Organisation (ARO), said the City of Johannesburg and Pikitup have not been transparent about their decisions regarding landfill sites.

"In the past month, Pikitup has communicated with the reclaimers at Marie Louise twice about the impending closure," said Melanie Samson, a professor of sociology at the University of Johannesburg, who conducts research at the site.

"On 8 August, Pikitup officials at Marie Louise informed reclaimers that the landfill would no longer receive general waste as of 11 August, giving them only three days’ notice.

“And, at that time, they said it was because the landfill is full and it needs to be closed — that it has reached its full capacity in terms of the landfill permit from the provincial government.”