Lwanda Njobeni, 20, has lived on the streets of Buffalo City for three years. He is one of thousands of homeless youths sleeping, eating, suffering and hanging onto life on the cold, hard Eastern Cape streets.
Except that Lwanda has found a way to make money.
He left a desperate, hungry home when he was 17, driven by a desire for a better life.
At home [in Butterworth] no-one works, so it was difficult at times. At least where I am now, trying to earn money, I don’t sleep on an empty stomach
“At home [in Butterworth] no-one works, so it was difficult at times. At least where I am now, trying to earn money, I don’t sleep on an empty stomach,” he said
He makes a living by gathering discarded cans and cardboard and selling them — informal recycling, the way hundreds who live on the streets make a living.
Globally it is called waste picking, and it has a huge role to play in trying to curb pollution and degradation of the environment. But it requires recognition and support from governments and society.
Often the waste pickers are there before BCM’s refuse collection teams, who can miss a pickup or leave trash in their wake.
It is Wednesday night. Njobeni is pushing, or more like driving, a half-filled trolley. Inside are professionally packed old cardboard boxes, and a clear plastic refuse bag bulging with empty beer and fizzy drink and other cans. He looks confident and well-versed in manipulating his battered cage on wheels.
R70 — that’s his earnings on a good day, and this he uses to buy food to keep him going.
“There are others like me, we meet up from time to time. We sleep maybe on a veranda, especially when it rains,” he said.
I would love to leave the streets, but this will only happen if I can get proper support
His first gig as a street beggar was in Komani, but he soon realised he needed a bigger, wealthier city to press for coins.
Life in Buffalo City Metro is still rough. “It is very rare that we get money,” he said.
“I would love to leave the streets, but this will only happen if I can get proper support.”
Life on the streets is dangerous.
Older vagabonds prey on the vulnerable, even within their ragged ranks.
“There are the older ones who cause trouble. They take our things. They take our money, we have to hide it. There is nothing we can do but make another plan,” he said.
Martin Goosen, 21, was spat out onto the streets three months ago. His West Bank family were evicted because they could not pay.
He said he dropped out from Hoërskool Grens.
The Dispatch met him in Nahoon on Friday just as a law enforcement officer and social worker were trying to move him and the rest of his family to a shelter owned by the social development department.
A social worker was able to convince his mother and two siblings to accompany them to the shelter, with their small, black dog.
Goosen refused, opting to camp out in a tent on the streets with his 17-year-old girlfriend.
“We just wake up in the morning and go do our early morning basics of collecting cans and scrap.”
Goosen is looking for a job.
He said his family had been kicked out of their home because his father had failed to pay the rent.
It’s very hard here. It’s very cold. Sometimes we do not have food
His girlfriend said: “It’s very hard here. It’s very cold. Sometimes we do not have food.”
Goosen said they did not use the same place to pitch their tent to avoid being robbed.
“We keep moving because it’s dangerous everywhere. We got robbed many times. Once they stabbed me in the back but it was not too deep,” he said.
Luthando Mrasi’s story is slightly different. The 27-year-old from Mdantsane says his two years on the streets had started with drugs and this addiction had paved the way to the street.
“I make money by assisting taxi drivers in getting passengers. I barely sleep. I am always energetic,” he said.
“On a good day, I make around R50. I mostly get R2 from the drivers, just as a token of gratitude [tip].”
Mrasi has a family in Mdantsane but will not go to them. “I don’t care what others think of me. I am living my life the way I want to,” he said.
DispatchLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.