For anyone that has cruised the streets of Johannesburg, the sight of the city’s ‘street surfers’ is as much a part of the landscape as is that of the high rise metropolitan skyline.
Framed in tattered clothing and makeshift outfits, street surfers negotiate the city on flatbed trolleys as they haul large silo bags stuffed full of recyclable materials to make an honest living.
Street Surfers, Thabo and Mokete
ThaboChoosing to collect and sell waste over a life of begging, crime and unemployment, Thabo and Mokete can be seen surfing their way between the city’s cars, pedestrians and pavements as they take their goods to various dumps around the city in exchange for cash.
For Thabo and Mokete, like many others, becoming a street surfer was a decision born from necessity. With cold nights spent sleeping on the streets and exhausting long-distance walks across the city each day, it’s easy to understand why this work would be one of the last resorts.
Frank Solomon, Thabo and MoketeHumbly saving our planet
Rather than being seen as a nuisance, street surfers should be celebrated for their tenacity and opportunism in the face of harsh reality and admired for their contribution to society both environmentally and economically. While we face a global climate crisis, only 10% of South Africa’s waste ends up being recycled.
“These guys do an incredible job for the environment, yet they live without access to running water and electricity, things we take for granted every day. They’re up from 3 in the morning and graft all the way through to the late afternoon, it’s unreal. To earn just R300, they need to collect 100kgs of plastic. If you do the math on how many bins they’d have to shift?through to reach that target, it’ll blow your mind. You know, at the very least the government and people, in general, should just respect these guys, it’ll go a long way”
Frank
Frank Solomon, Thabo and MoketePictured above: Frank Solomon, Thabo and Mokete in Newtown, Johannesburg.
Unbeknownst to the street surfers, they also safeguard the ocean, preventing tonnes of plastic from entering the marine environment, something that cannot be overlooked in our quest to end plastic pollution.
“When you see street surfers digging through the trash, separating recyclable materials, let it serve as a reminder of how far we have to go, it’s a brutal job, but these guys are willing to do it. The unbelievable reality is, even in the face of such overwhelming adversity and abject poverty, you’ll never see these men not donning a genuine smile.”
Frank
Crowdfunding on BackaBuddy
To give back to Thabo and Mokete for their humble service to our planet and to positively impact their lives, Frank has created a campaign on donations based crowdfunding platform, BackaBuddy, to appeal to South Africans to support these gentlemen as we lead up to the festive season.
“I hope with our BackaBuddy campaign, we can raise enough funds to transform Thabo and Mokete’s lives so they can be seen as the role models in their community. When I met them, I asked how I could assist them, their response was heartbreakingly simple, they need help with ‘life’, they said. With support, I hope to provide them with food, clothes and other living expenses for as long as possible”
Frank
Frank Solomon, Thabo and MoketeDonations to the “Street Surfers” campaign on BackaBuddy will be used to provide Thabo and Mokete with a “surfer’s pack” that will include:
1) Two pairs of comfortable, hardcore boots.
2) Clothing for the elements (a few pairs of overalls, wet weather gear and jackets)
3) Two pairs of gloves
3) Monthly food vouchers
The campaign went live on the 20th of November and has thus far raised R36 941.07 towards the fundraising target of R50 000 with contributions from over 50 donors.
Funds raised will be transferred to and managed by non-profit organisation, The Sentinel Ocean Alliance to purchase the“surfer’s pack, as the gentleman don’t have bank accounts.
Support this cause by making a donation on BackaBuddy:
https://www.backabuddy.co.za/street-surfers
Create your own crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy:
BackaBuddy has supported more than 10 000+ individuals in setting up crowdfunding campaigns for medical fees, tuition and various other causes in South Africa. Learn More.
https://www.backabuddy.co.za/individual/register or email info@backabuddy.co.za
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