The Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) has dismissed an application by several groups of waste recyclers in the Tshwane area to be recognised as an essential service and be allowed to continue activities during the lockdown – this despite a passionate plea by the groups that they have no water, no electricity, no firewood and were rapidly running out of food, says a Daily Maverick report.

The application was brought by the Mushroomville Bagerezi (hustlers), Mooiplaas/Spruit Bagerezi, Clubview Bagerezi, Airfield Bagerezi and Kloofsig Bagerezi.

They wanted the court to declare their recycling as an essential service that is exempted from regulations restricting movement on days that they are working.

Lawyers acting for about 250 waste pickers claimed they are faced with the real possibility of starvation if they are not allowed to carry on with their daily recycling and selling.

Legal counsellor for the Land and Housing Programme at Lawyers for Human Rights, Thandeka Chauke, said the court dismissed their clients’ application, but they have received instructions to appeal the decision.

She said they were still awaiting a full judgement by the court as the matter was brought on an urgent basis.

In papers before court, one of the waste recyclers, Thebogo Ditshego, said the majority of the so-called bagerezi were men and many were foreigners, and this excluded them from any social assistance offered by the government.

Most earn between R2 000 and R4 000 a month through their recycling.

Full Daily Maverick report