Stellenbosch Municipality’s Swop Shop Trailer is on a mission to promote recycling.
Not only does the trailer collect recyclables, it also gives those recycling a chance to exchange these items for something from the Swop Shop shelves.
The Swop Shop Trailer is a programme run by the municipality’s waste management department.
The shop has previously visited Klapmuts and made its latest outreach visit to the Ida’s Valley community market last Wednesday, August 28.
Stellenbosch Municipality spokesperson, Stuart Grobbelaar says the Swop Shop has dual objectives: to firstly encourage recycling among communities and to with the outreaches provide engaging and educational experiences for young children. “By making recycling fun and practical, we aim to instil lifelong habits that contribute to a sustainable environment.”
At the Ida’s Valley event, Mr Grobbelaar said some of the most popular items exchanged for recyclables from the shop included cooking essentials and sweet treats.
In response to the turnout and what were some of the most common items brought for recycling at the recent event, Mr Grobbelaar says: “The recent Swop Shop in Ida’s Valley was a tremendous success, with residents turning out in large numbers to participate. The community enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to recycle, bringing in items like paper, boxes, glass, plastic, and tin.”
Ward councillor for Ida’s Valley, Roy van Rooyen, says the recycling initiative is a positive action as it firstly uses the community market space for something to the benefit and upliftment of the community.
He says poverty and unemployment are some of the realities the community of Ida’s Valley battle with. “People are always looking for ways to make an income and something to eat, so this initiative not only encourages recycling, but helps to address a need and that for me is a positive thing.”
Mr Grobbelaar says the intention is to expand the initiative’s reach to go out to more areas located within the Stellenbosch Municipality. “Our goal is to reach even more residents and continue fostering a culture of recycling throughout our community.”
Ida’s Valley resident Maghmoed Kara, chairman of Stellenbosch Community Care, who operates a soup kitchen for the needy, says although it’s a good initiative, more reward should be given for the number of items handed in to make it worthwhile.
“You know my concern is people will spend hours picking up a big bag of bottles or cans and then only get something to the value of R3 in return. Where is their reward for all the effort they put in to collect those things? I feel the reward must be in line with the hours of work put in to pick up the things, at least if they can give people something that can feed their family for a day.”
He says the soup kitchen can no longer afford to feed people daily and asked businesses to assist them with food donations. “If we can get at least food ingredients for the next three months to feed people every day that will make a difference.”
To donate, contact him on 081 515 4557.
