Your trash, my treasure
The desperate economic times in the country have led to more and more people flocking to dumpsites in a bid to eke out a living for themselves and their children.
A number of residents from Tsumeb's Kuvukiland informal settlement spend their days collecting food and sellable items at the municipal dump.
Last week Namibian Sun visited the Tsumeb dumpsite and found that people there are risking their lives to make a living.
At 07:00 a number of early birds were just finishing their morning tea, getting ready for what they described as the 'zula life' of hoping for trucks and bakkies to show up and dump useful waste.
When a vehicle entered the site they quickly gathered around and direct the drivers where to offload before picking through the rubbish.
One woman, carrying a baby on her back and holding another child's hand, rushed closer to see what she could get from the truck.
Several school-age children and their parents approached the vehicles and afterwards sorted their pickings under nearby shelters made from plastic sheets.
At around 13:00 the parents served their children lunch consisting of food scraps they had collected before returning home.
There is no site supervisor to control where vehicles, including the Tsumeb municipal refuse trucks, offload their waste.
Because of the lack of control, the young ones take advantage of the situation by jumping onto moving vehicles.
Namibian Sun understands that this has been the case since 2014 when a company that had been responsible for the dump left.
Sharing his experience, Joel Matheus (34) said he makes a living by collecting material that he uses to manufacture chairs and tables, as well as metal that he sells to a scrap yard.
Matheus said he used to work for the company that was contracted to manage the site.
Since that company left, the dump has been open to anyone. Matheus said that not only made it difficult to manage the town's waste, but also attracted criminals.
He referred to a case last August when the frozen corpse of a baby was found at the dump, and another incident last year when a man was beaten up and left at the site.
“This is now a place where people come whenever they have nothing to do at home. People are suffering in their houses, that is why you see us here. We are not here because we want to be here but because we need to survive. I am not educated that much but I know how to zula to survive,” Matheus said.
He said during school holidays the situation worsens because the number of children at the site multiplies.
“My friend, you came at a time when it is normal at the site. I request you to come during the school holidays, you will see things and you will get scared as the chances of a child being bumped by a vehicle is high, now it's a bit better,” Matheus said.
When asked how the residents would react if the council erected a fence and started controlling the site, Matheus said it would create chaos as the people depend on the site.
“For some of us who only come here to get materials, we will be affected to some extent but those that come here to collect food will suffer dearly. This place has turned out to be the place where they can get food to eat and sustain their families, therefore if the council was to erect a fence here, they must employ the people and give them jobs or else they will fight for this dumpsite,” Matheus said.
Employ us
Matheus said a possible solution was to pay those who have been living off the dumpsite to manage the site.
“Some of us here have the experience to work on this site. I was the dumping site controller before, therefore it won't be a challenge to direct the vehicles where to offload and how to dispose of the dangerous stuff,” Matheus said.
Questions were sent to the council last week but it had not responded by yesterday. However, Namibian Sun understands that the council has entered into an agreement with a local business person to manage the dumpsite.
KENYA KAMBOWE
Last week Namibian Sun visited the Tsumeb dumpsite and found that people there are risking their lives to make a living.
At 07:00 a number of early birds were just finishing their morning tea, getting ready for what they described as the 'zula life' of hoping for trucks and bakkies to show up and dump useful waste.
When a vehicle entered the site they quickly gathered around and direct the drivers where to offload before picking through the rubbish.
One woman, carrying a baby on her back and holding another child's hand, rushed closer to see what she could get from the truck.
Several school-age children and their parents approached the vehicles and afterwards sorted their pickings under nearby shelters made from plastic sheets.
At around 13:00 the parents served their children lunch consisting of food scraps they had collected before returning home.
There is no site supervisor to control where vehicles, including the Tsumeb municipal refuse trucks, offload their waste.
Because of the lack of control, the young ones take advantage of the situation by jumping onto moving vehicles.
Namibian Sun understands that this has been the case since 2014 when a company that had been responsible for the dump left.
Sharing his experience, Joel Matheus (34) said he makes a living by collecting material that he uses to manufacture chairs and tables, as well as metal that he sells to a scrap yard.
Matheus said he used to work for the company that was contracted to manage the site.
Since that company left, the dump has been open to anyone. Matheus said that not only made it difficult to manage the town's waste, but also attracted criminals.
He referred to a case last August when the frozen corpse of a baby was found at the dump, and another incident last year when a man was beaten up and left at the site.
“This is now a place where people come whenever they have nothing to do at home. People are suffering in their houses, that is why you see us here. We are not here because we want to be here but because we need to survive. I am not educated that much but I know how to zula to survive,” Matheus said.
He said during school holidays the situation worsens because the number of children at the site multiplies.
“My friend, you came at a time when it is normal at the site. I request you to come during the school holidays, you will see things and you will get scared as the chances of a child being bumped by a vehicle is high, now it's a bit better,” Matheus said.
When asked how the residents would react if the council erected a fence and started controlling the site, Matheus said it would create chaos as the people depend on the site.
“For some of us who only come here to get materials, we will be affected to some extent but those that come here to collect food will suffer dearly. This place has turned out to be the place where they can get food to eat and sustain their families, therefore if the council was to erect a fence here, they must employ the people and give them jobs or else they will fight for this dumpsite,” Matheus said.
Employ us
Matheus said a possible solution was to pay those who have been living off the dumpsite to manage the site.
“Some of us here have the experience to work on this site. I was the dumping site controller before, therefore it won't be a challenge to direct the vehicles where to offload and how to dispose of the dangerous stuff,” Matheus said.
Questions were sent to the council last week but it had not responded by yesterday. However, Namibian Sun understands that the council has entered into an agreement with a local business person to manage the dumpsite.
KENYA KAMBOWE
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