Women are boosting SA’s sustainability efforts, but experts say empowerment remains crucial

From scientists and sustainability managers to waste pickers and buy-back centre owners, women are boosting South Africa’s sustainability efforts — but more needs to be done to ensure equal representation.

This is according to experts within the sector and South Africa's longest-standing producer responsibility organisation Petco, which oversees collection and recycling efforts of post-consumer packaging nationally.

“Women are still not equally represented in the waste industry , especially at higher leadership, but this is changing as industries and corporations at large learn the power of having more diverse teams,” said Preola Adam, Petco board member and senior sustainability director for Africa at The Coca-Cola Company.

“It’s said that for every dollar earned by a woman, 90c goes back to the community. When you empower a woman, you empower a community.

“Statistically, women and girls face the greatest impacts of the climate crisis, amplifying the gender inequalities that already exist  so women need to be at the heart of sustainability programmes, both in design and implementation,” said Adam.

Avashnee Chetty, sustainability manager at polymer producer Safripol, said women are best suited to lead the sustainability charge.

“We as women are resilient and amazing. If you think of the impact we have in our own households, we are the glue that keeps the family together, we are the glue that keeps society together,” Chetty said.

Last year Petco supported 104 projects across all provinces, including waste pickers, SMMEs and co-operatives, with different forms of equipment to improve the quantity and quality of post-consumer packaging collected. 

A total of 41 of the projects were women-owned enterprises.

“Women make a strong contribution to the recycling and collection value chain, and the circular economy as a whole,” said Petco CEO Cheri Scholtz.

Nokubonga Mnyango, who quit her job as a driver-cum-admin clerk at a wood chipping mill in Richards Bay in 2014 to start collecting and selling recyclable waste, said she was initially mocked by friends and family for her decision. 

Today  she runs two thriving buy-back centres in Empangeni which employ 22 full-time staff and support more than 100 waste pickers in the community.

“As women, sometimes it’s hard to work in this space. In this industry men sometimes refuse to help us when we start out, then try to take advantage by asking to partner with us once we succeed,” said Mnyango, owner of Empangeni’s Uthando Solutions and Trading recycling buy-back centres.

“My husband offered his support and encouragement. We need more men like that who will support us. Not men who seek to take advantage of our success.”

Mnyango said her success was paving the way for other women in her community to follow in her footsteps.

“I’m proud. If you come to my home town, you won’t see any recyclable plastic lying about because it’s been collected for recycling.”

Judy Henshall, who formed the thriving women's cooperative Masekhethele with Phalaborwa buy-back centre owner Willie Ramoshaba, said the programme employed 66 full-time staff.

“When we got involved with Masekhethele, I met these amazing women who embodied the spirit of free enterprise,” said Henshall.

With its base in Johannesburg, Masekhethele supports women waste pickers in Phalaborwa who source recyclables to be transformed into high-quality products by local sewing groups, entrepreneurs and trained seamstresses, creating jobs for more women.

“It’s not just a project. It’s a movement. We’re working towards closing the [circular economy] loop,” said Henshall.

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