September 08, 2011

Every year waste management company, Tedcor, holds a Gala Awards Evening to recognise contractors who have achieved excellence in delivery service to their communities. 

This year the winner in Nelspruit was Sipho Shiba. For the past two years Tedcor has, on behalf the Mbombela Local Municipality, provided a professionally managed domestic waste collection service, thanks to Sipho and his labourers.  He makes sure that on collection days everyone’s refuse is removed and recycled quickly and efficiently. His duties span a multitude of activities that include door-to-door collection services, removal of illegal dumping, street cleaning and litter picking.

To provide the service, Tedcor appointed Sipho from the local community to become a contractor because, not only  was he resident in the area and had a relevant driver’s license, he could also read and write - but most of all, he showed considerable leadership qualities.

The company went on to help him buy a truck and mentored him in setting up his own business.  Maintaining a quality service is all important and the company made sure that he received ongoing support. To date he services over 6000 households and employs 14 people from the community.

Tedcor’s executive director, Victor Nemukula says that the success of sustainable waste management lies in reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. There are presently over 1200 such sites in the country all of which are reaching their capacity.  Reducing the amount of waste that goes into these sites can be achieved by efficient management, waste processing and recycling.  Of course, sorting at source is incumbent on communities taking responsibility for recycling their waste.  The Mbombela Local Municipality is a shining example of this and the results speak for themselves.