Kariega’s Rest Multipurpose Primary Co-operative, which began as a one-person recycling initiative in 2017, has grown into a major environmental player across the Nelson Mandela Metro in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, now servicing more than 50 schools and collecting an average of 10 tons of recyclable waste each month.
Rest Multipurpose Primary Co-operative currently sells recyclables to Buff Recycling and KZ Recycling, and maintains ongoing contracts with Coca-Cola and the Sustainable Seas Trust (SST).
What began informally with a single recycler is now a structured co-operative with five core members, Asamkele Nkosi, Msokolweni Tom, Lelam Njobe, Pumeza Nkosi and Nosikhumbuzo Njobe – expanding to a seasonal workforce of up to 12 people during high-volume periods such as December.
Founded by Kariega resident Nosikhumbuzo Njobe, the co-operative was inspired by her attendance at a recycling workshop eight years ago, an encounter she says sparked her commitment to tackling littering and illegal dumping in local communities.
“Once the passion took root, I could no longer ignore the litter on every street or the illegal dumping sites that appear overnight,” Njobe said.
Today, the five-member co-operative collects, sorts and crushes waste across the metro, while also leading education efforts in schools and communities to shift perceptions about recycling. Njobe said early engagement with young people revealed a stigma.
“Young people thought recycling was beneath them. They thought it was something only street dwellers or drug users did for quick money. With continued education and incentives, this perception is slowly changing,” says Njobe.
The co-operative’s education programme includes workshops, competitions and partnerships with organisations such as Blue Ribbon, Coca-Cola and the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. Activities range from eco-business idea sessions for high school learners to age-appropriate environmental awareness programmes in primary schools.
A key driver of youth participation has been the co-operative’s EnviroBuddies programme, which teaches learners how to sort and crush waste correctly.
“Once people understood how to sort and crush materials, they realised they could earn more from recycling. That made them more eager to participate,” Njobe says.
Operations received a significant boost when the co-operative secured R386,868 through the ECDC-managed Imvaba Cooperatives Fund, enabling the purchase of a new bakkie. The vehicle has improved collection capacity and reduced operational disruptions caused by their previous vehicle’s repeated breakdowns.
“Now we collect from anywhere – schools, spaza shops and households. Communities contact us when they have enough waste, and we collect and pay them for it,” she says.
Njobe urged young people in informal settlements and townships to see recycling as an accessible economic opportunity.
“Recycling is a hustle you can start with no capital. Illegal dumping sites are everywhere. If young people could band together and collect waste, even in small groups, it could have a massive impact. You don’t need money to start, you just need the will,” explains Njobe.
ECDC is a government parastatal mandated to stimulate and sustain the economic growth of the Eastern Cape.
