Reclaimers of Johannesburg

The French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) has given carte blanche to Mark Lewis to create a series of photos about the reclaimers of Johannesburg, accompanied by Luyanda Hlatshwayo, member of the African Reclaimers Organisation (ARO). The texts that come with each portrait are the direct testimonies of the photographed subjects, collected by IFAS team.

MARK LEWIS

There are many survivalists in Johannesburg whose labour forms part of a complex informal economy. Of these, few toil harder than the reclaimers: men and women who pull trolleys across the city in search of recyclable material. Long before sunrise each day, they head to the suburbs and industrial sites to sort through waste awaiting collection on sidewalks. Then they haul their giant loads of paper, plastic and glass many miles to the city’s trash depots where they are paid by the kilogram.

According to Luyanda Hlatshwayo, “this series of photos we are doing portrays fathers, mothers, children; everyone is someone’s child”.

These portraits of waste reclaimers show the spaces where they live, often constructed and refashioned using objects and materials they collect through their work, that come to decorate and furnish their homes. In a city that seethes with inequality, these are lives that are lived simultaneously on the edge of and at the very centre of Johannesburg. In a similar way, this dual existence is echoed through that which has previously been discarded and abandoned now made familiar and personal once again to create intimate space.

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Paul Lesego pulling his trolley to the waste depot
© Mark Lewis, Johannesburg, 2014

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Nomsa Zozi
© Mark Lewis, Johannesburg, 2021

NOMSA ZOZI

2012, that’s when I started this job of recycling. I was looking for a job and I didn’t find a job, so I started to do what we call ‘shoplifting’. So, I got arrested. So, when I came out [of prison], I tried again shoplifting, then I got arrested again, maybe I think 6 times. […]

So, I thought to myself: “No, I must leave this job to find a better job.” I met another lady on the street. She was pulling the trolley, so I asked her some questions. How to collect these things? After collecting, where do you sell the stuff? This lady explained to me: she goes around the CBD, opening the dustbins, looking for papers, bottles, everything. The next day, I joined her, went with her, so that’s how I started.

After, I see what is happening there, what she is collecting, then I learned a lot, then I go alone, and try to collect, then I found my places where I go and collect. Like Monday, I must go to this place to collect, Tuesday, I must go this place to collect.

The reclaimers are playing a big role in society and for the environment of South Africa. Because they reduce the pollution. Also, the municipality has less materials to send to the landfields, because most of the materials are recycled, as we go and sell to the buy-back centres.

>> text continues on next photo.

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Nomsa Zozi’s home
© Mark Lewis, Johannesburg, 2021

>> text starts with previous photo.

Today, what makes me upset is not going to collect because of this rain. It’s been a long time now that this rain is disappointing us. Because we can’t go collect, because the dustbins also don’t go outside because of rain. So, we don’t get enough work. Also, we’re scared of getting cold, flu, you see there is this coronavirus. We don’t know how to protect ourselves when the rain is like this. […]

I’m happy today because, you are here with me, asking me questions about my job. I’m excited, because I like my job, […] my job is inspiring. […]

Before, we were not warm welcomed as reclaimers. People would call us names, so we were not happy, we were not safe. They didn’t respect us. But now, because of our sponsors, because of our emblem, and because we can wear uniforms, they respect us, they can say “this is a reclaimer”, they respect this person. […] Before, they […] didn’t like us because they were always thinking we would steal from them. But now, they believe in us, they give us the materials, they separate for us, then we got everything ready for us, and we are happy about our jobs. Now, I can stand in front of the people and explain my job. I’m not scared anymore […] Now we are free.

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Nyete Skete
© Mark Lewis, Johannesburg, 2021

NYETE SKETE

I became a reclaimer in 2012.

I appreciate working here.

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Snake painting on wall of reclaimer’s shack in Braamfontein
© Mark Lewis, Johannesburg, 2021

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David Ralikhomo
© Mark Lewis, Johannesburg, 2021

DAVID RALIKHOMO

I became a reclaimer in 1991. I was a worker. I was supporting my family until my wife passed away. And I’ve got four children. When my wife passed away, I couldn’t support them. By that time, I earned maybe 35 Rands a day. And I was supposed to go home and spend that money to buy for everyone.

Today, I’ve got friends who are working with me, helping me. I’ve got brothers there, you see? This is our waste disposal. So, I’m happy with that.

What I’d like to say is that maybe, people with money, you see, can come and sponsor people here, because we are just on our own.

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Front door of reclaimer’s home, decorated with French Vogue pullouts
© Mark Lewis, Johannesburg, 2021

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Hezekil Nchaba
© Mark Lewis, Johannesburg, 2021

HEZEKIL NCHABA

[In Sotho] Lebitso la ka ke Hezekiel Ncaba. Ke tswa ko Lesotho. Ke kgale ke qadile ho ba mokgerezi ka 2012. Mosebetsi wa ka o bohlokwa ha holo hobane o a mphidisa. Ke kwatisa mohlomong ke batho ba ba ka fihla ba nka mosebetsi wa ka. Ke tena ke dikoloi ko tseleng, ko dipavament. Ntho ye e nthabisang ke ho phomola.

[English translation] My name is Hezekiel Ncaba. I come from Lesotho. I started reclaiming in 2012. My work is very important because it is my livelihood. What upsets me is perhaps people who threaten my work. I am also upset by cars on the roads and pavements. What makes me content is rest.

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Beauty Dube
© Mark Lewis, Johannesburg, 2021

BEAUTY DUBE

I became a reclaimer, because I didn’t have a job. And then, I thought: picking rubbish is better than… anything. So, I became a reclaimer in 1993, from picking up the dustbins. I was suffocating about the money, that’s why I was busy picking up the plastic. I tried to push from that time until now. But for now, it is a little bit better.

Other people must see what we’re doing, they must appreciate what we’re doing. […]

Today, I’m upset because of this Covid-19. We’re scared, even if we’re working. We’re scared to go inside the dustbins, you understand that? […]

I’m happy because I do manage to go and pick up the rubbish. […]

To other people, I just say: you have to take care of yourselves. You’re supposed to sanitize and do everything the government is saying.

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Beauty Dube’s home
© Mark Lewis, Johannesburg, 2021

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Joseph Mhlongo
© Mark Lewis, Johannesburg, 2021

JOSEPH MHLONGO

I started recycling in 2008. I started carrying boxes on my head, because before there were no trolleys. But as the time went by, I bought a trolley. Now, I am working with a trolley and a bag. As you see, all these things are mine.

Walking long distances to collect the boxes and plastic bottles and all these things is hard.

People from the community around here are busy fighting against us. They say we must keep the place clean; we keep the place clean, but they are still fighting. They say they want to give us a place, but they don’t. Always coming and fighting with us. We don’t understand.

We don’t have a place. Sometimes, when I’m not here, they come and destroy our things with the caterpillar and the trucks and they dump everything. We start again to build because we don’t have nowhere to go. We have to stay here.

Nothing can make me happy. All I want is to get a place to stay, that can can make my heart happy.

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Thabo Mohadi
© Mark Lewis, Johannesburg, 2021

THABO MOHADI

[In Sotho] Ke qadile ho kgereza ka 2009 hobane ke bone mosebetsi o ntshokodisa [ka bona hore…] Mosebetsi o ke tlamehiele ke o etse ke ona o… Ke fepa bana le batswadi. Ntho ye bohlokwa ko mesebetsing wa rona, gore fela: re a cleana, re phutha rubbish. Re ya e enka, re ile ho ekala, go nne ya re thusa. Nna mosebetsing wa rona ha hona ntho ye e ntenang. Ke proud ka nna. Le he motho a ka buang ke tsamayang ko tseleng; Ke a tseba ho re nna ke etsang. Ntho ye e nthabisang ke ho bane ha ka hirwa. Ha ke kgathetse – ke a phomola. Ha ke theohetse – ke ba le tshelete.

[English translation] I started this hustle [reclaiming] in 2009 due to my struggle with employment. I figured that the work that I could do was reclaiming. I support my family with this work. What is important about our work is that we simply clean, we sort and collect rubbish and we recycle it; that is our livelihood. Nothing annoys me in our work. I am proud of myself. It doesn’t matter what people say, I know what I do.

What makes me content is that I am self-employed. When I am tired, I rest. When I work, I am rewarded financially.

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Found ornament, echoing Fragonard’s The Swing, in reclaimer’s home
© Mark Lewis, Johannesburg, 2021

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Thabo Mondlan
© Mark Lewis, Johannesburg, 2021

THABO MONDLAN

[In Zulu] Ngiqale ngo 2010. Ngishonelwe abazali futhi bengukulisa usisi oncane wami. Uma ngihambe la ngize vele kanjalo. I-reclaimers, Ubalulekhe kakhulu ngoba yithi esiklinayo vele la. Aksena ma-papers ma-books estradini sokuclean. Ngizosebenza i reclaimer as long ngitholile loku okuncani hayi.

[English translation] I started as a reclaimer in 2010. I lost my parent and I had to raise my young sister. That’s how things were when I arrived to this place. The reclaimers are important because they clean. They take all the papers away from the street so that it’s clean. I will work as a reclaimer as long as I can get a little something for me.

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Reclaimers’ homes, 14th street, Fietas
© Mark Lewis, Johannesburg, 2021

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Mantoa Khoali
© Mark Lewis, Johannesburg, 2021

MANTOA KHOALI

I’m from Lesotho. I started reclaiming in 2016. Before, I was working in the kitchens as a maid, it wasn’t easy. I am a mother. I have family in Lesotho, so my boss didn’t want me to visit home. Like… he would just say: “Make a phone call”. No, as a parent, there are sometimes when you have to see your child, your family, face to face. They need your attention, not somebody else’s.

With my job, I support my mother, my child, and some of my brothers, niece, yeah, because they are not working.

Recycling is good. We are helping the government; we are saving the environment. But there’s some people, I don’t know how they take us. Yes, we are dirty when we go to work, the reason of being dirty is: people mix, they don’t separate, they mix everything inside one bin. So, what I’ll ask is: they must take us as human beings, not criminals, we are feeding our families through that job. They call it rubbish, but for us, it’s gold.

And the taxi drivers… I don’t know, they just hit you… We make sure that we don’t just ride our trolleys in the middle of the road. But they just come from where they have to move or park the cars where we have to pass. It’s not good. We are human beings, we have to treat each other like human beings.

I am upset about how the city of Johannesburg is treating us. Like, there was a time when we were doing registrations. They said every reclaimer, we want them to register, but issuing the cards, they said they will issue them to South African citizens only: why? Because, we are playing a major part, even if we are not South African citizens.

During this Covid pandemic, last year, when it started, we didn’t know what this was and how long it was gonna take. We were not prepared; we were not ready. We had material, but we did not sell the material. We had nothing. When they distributed the food parcels, they said they were given to people with IDs: why?

Before, I was thinking: in Africa, I’m welcomed in every country. But I noticed that I was mistaken. Where I belong is Lesotho. Because I have the passport of Lesotho. If the government of Lesotho didn’t do anything for us, we were supported by ARO (African Reclaimers Organisation). Such amazing work. And it doesn’t have funds, but our coordinator is trying all his best to see that our lives change for the best.

Please, I’m pleading to the residents, they must take out the bins early, before the truck. Because if they take the bins, like when the truck is here, it’s when we leave. This is my work as a reclaimer; how I take my child to school. My child is doing great. He was supposed to be in grade 11, which is matric this year, but because of Covid, he didn’t write the final exams last year.

If they don’t take the bins on time, I just go to the location and come back empty-handed. And they must separate at source. Please, they must take us as human beings and treat us like workers.

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Found objects decorating reclaimer’s home
© Mark Lewis, Johannesburg, 2021

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Vusi Maseko
© Mark Lewis, Johannesburg, 2021

VUSI MASEKO

I think I became a reclaimer in 2008. I was having a problem at home, with my family. I left home because it was terrible there, you see. I left home, I came here to make a living, but when it’s the week-end or maybe month end, I try to go home and visit them to see how they live and for them to see that I’m still alive.

With my work, I sustain my children and my grandmother because my mother died a long time ago; even my father died when I was a young kid. So, I’m supporting my family and my kids in Mpumalanga.

Reclaiming is useful because I make a living with my cardboard and with my plastic. I make some cents for sure, but life is terrible, it’s terrible …

I’m glad when I go to work with my trolley, nothing wrong. When I’m working with my cardboard, nothing is going to disturb me. I’m alright with my work for sure.

If I can, I would get a place, or get material to build another fresh zozo [shack]. Or you can take me to stay somewhere, but I don’t want to stay further away, because I work in Park station, 15 minutes away. But life is terrible here. I wish I could get another place, a good one; then, when the rain is hitting, it’s not going to be a problem for sure.

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Luyanda Hlatshwayo
© Mark Lewis, Johannesburg, 2021

LUYANDA HLATSHWAYO

This series of photos we are doing portray fathers, mothers, children; everyone is someone’s child.

For me reclaiming created something to fight for, to fight for the reclaimers around me, and at a wider scale to save the environment. Small stones on water make huge waves, but there is no recognition for these small stones.

I started fighting for this cause when I saw the inequalities. I saw the inequality when I found myself right in the thick of it. The inequality pushed me to act, the social aspect of it. Reclaimers have serious social issues, you know, that are not attended to. And the reclaimers have probably become 80% of the people that are living in informal settlements in Johannesburg. Somehow, I feel it’s a calling, you know, I really feel it’s a calling. I wake up jumping every day, I still ask myself: « How am I able to do that? » But yeah, it’s a calling for me.

I have a beautiful daughter and a perfect partner. My daughter is still small, and is more into the toys that I bring back. She doesn’t understand what doctors or lawyers do. But as time goes on, she’s going to ask and I’ll give her all these answers about my job. I want to transmit to her the value of humanity. Rather than being a doctor of whatever else, be a humanitarian. Even if I were to die today, I’m not gonna die, I think that’s the value: there is nothing more important than being a human.

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CELINA TSOTETSI

I come from Johannesburg. I became a reclaimer in 1993 on Carr street. There was no work anywhere. I support my children. I got six: five boys, one girl.

Reclaiming is very important to me, because nobody is gonna hire me now. That’s the only thing I can do, that’s why it’s very important.

Finding white paper makes me happy and cold drink cans, aluminium cans.

We are living our life.

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RETHABILE MAHLOMOLA

[In Sotho] Ke qadile mosebetsi dinyaha tse pedi di fetileng hobane ke bone ele [mosebetsi] ona o ka kgonang ho re omphidise. Mosebetsi ona o phidisa nna le lapa leso ko Lesotho. Mosebetsi ona o bohlokwa. Ntho e nthabisang ke taba ya tjelete. Ke hore ompha tjeletle ka nako ya ka. Ha ho na hore ke emela kgwedi e fele. Ha ho na le mabaka ke kgona ho phetha mabaka.

[English translation] I started this work two years ago because it’s a work that can support me. And with it, I support my family in Lesotho.

What makes me content is the matter of money. I earn money in my own time, I don’t need to wait for month end – I can attend to my financial needs at my own time.

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DANIEL RETSHIDITSOE

I come from Lesotho, Maseru. Where I come from, my work is right.

I’m here from 2004.

I support four people with my work. It is my family.

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THABISO MBATANI

I became a reclaimer in 2016. Like now, it’s better than to steal.

I would like to say: “Support us, ’cause we are here, in the community.”

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JOSEPH BAYOLI

I’m a security guard, but before, I was reclaiming for three years. I started reclaiming as some of my brothers took me there, because they had stopped me for 3 months at my work. So the guys accompanied me and I worked with them. I used to work during the night, then in the morning I used to take my trolley and go to recycle. I was useful at recycling because I was free at that time but my job now is a security. My young brother is doing the same job, recycling. I used to complain when we were going to sell those things and sometimes they wouldn’t give us the money that we need, you see. That’s the problem you load, load, but when you’re going there you find little money. But with my security job I’m not going there anymore.

Once I get money, maybe, I will be happy. Because I’m working, there is nothing that I can say, but if I was not working there is a lot I could say, a lot. Sometimes I still accompany my friends recycling to get money, because I can make R100 a day if I want.

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In February 2022 the book Bekezela. Reclaimers of Johannesburg/Recycleurs de Johannesbourg, was conceived and published by the French Institute of South Africa. It is based on the portrait series “Reclaimers of Johannesburg” by Mark Lewis, in an edition enriched with several texts – for example a preface by sociologist Melanie Samson (University of Johannesburg) and a foreword by the photographer. The book is available in digital format here.

Reclaimers of Johannesburg

MARK LEWIS

A warm thank you to Rangoato Hlasane and Matthieu Rey for helping with the translations and to Faith Xaba for proof-reading.

More info about Mark Lewis: https://www.marklewisphotography.com

More info about ARO: https://www.africanreclaimers.org