Despite the estimated 90,000 reclaimers in South Africa, very few are actually receiving the service fee they are owed, including the majority of the 8,000+ registered on the SAWPRS. Reclaimers from various landfills reported that their payments stopped abruptly, leaving them in a difficult situation without any explanation from the PROs. The African Reclaimers Organisation (ARO) expressed their frustration on The Devi Show, stating that non-payment made them feel like slaves.
The South African Waste Pickers Association (SAWPA) and environmental justice NGO groundWork condemned the PROs for failing to pay reclaimers, calling it a gross dereliction of duty. This led to joint marches demanding government enforcement of regulations and accountability. ARO issued demands for immediate action from PROs, including payment of service fees and transparency in budget sharing.
PROs cited technical excuses for non-payment, but these were easily debunked. The Devi Show provided evidence that the SAWPRS was functional, and registration issues could be resolved with offline alternatives. It is clear that the reclaimers deserve better treatment and payment from the PROs.
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