Joburg Recycler Earns R500 Daily Supporting Two Teens

While most of Johannesburg sleeps, Ernestine Mohloboli layers up against the winter cold, pulls on reflective gear and gloves, and heads into the dark streets with her trolley. She's one of thousands of reclaimers who turn the city's trash into treasure, earning an honest living while keeping neighborhoods clean.

Mohloboli's day begins with a 3km walk from Bertrams to Commissioner Street. By dawn, she's hauling bins from apartment buildings, her hands reaching deep to find plastic bottles, cardboard, glass, and metal that others have thrown away.

The work is physically demanding but reliable. "I do this work because I love it," Mohloboli says with a smile. "I know that when I go out to work, I will not go home with nothing."

After losing her job as an African art seller in 2013, Mohloboli's friend helped her enter the recycling trade. Now she's the sole provider for her two children, ages 16 and 18.

On a good day, she makes around R500, an amount that brings her genuine satisfaction. When her bags fill up on the trolley, she heads to the depot on Harrison Street, navigating through morning traffic as the city wakes around her.

The Ripple Effect

Reclaimers like Mohloboli play a crucial role most residents never see. They divert tons of waste from landfills, saving Johannesburg's municipal entity Pikitup significant money while keeping streets cleaner.

Research from The Outlier shows most reclaimers earn between R300 and R600 weekly, though some reach R7,000. These workers form the backbone of South Africa's billion-dollar waste industry, yet rarely receive recognition for their contribution.

Despite working in darkness, Mohloboli feels safe on her routes. "I don't have problems with robbers or people who want to harm me," she explains. "I walk knowing that I am going to be safe and that I am going to work."

After her morning collection, Mohloboli sorts her haul in the depot's basement, separating materials by type. The sight of a full trolley brings her joy because she knows it means income for her family.

Her work requires discipline, strength, and early mornings, but Mohloboli takes pride in providing for her teenagers through honest labor that also helps her city.