Bay port boosts Thuthukani adult workshop
THE Port of Richards
Bay’s efforts to support the Thuthukani Adult Workshop’s recycling project is helping keep 150 people employed.
This is according to one of the centre’s managers, Kosie Brits, who expressed gratitude for the helping hand Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) continues to extend.
“The recyclable material that is collected at the port is kept aside for donation to the workshop. Our workers then sort the material for recycling, and deliver to MPACT and other recycling facilities, allowing us to generate an income to pay them a stipend,” said Brits.
The adult workshop was established to run parallel to Thuthukani Special School in Empangeni 'as an alternative exit strategy for learners who have completed their schooling'.
“We have a couple of projects running at the workshop to keep the adults, who are between the ages of 18 and 40 with intellectual disabilities, busy while earning a living.
“We are truly thankful for Transnet's support and we hope others in the local communities can also lend a helping hand to the workshop. We are open to any assistance or ideas from the community on non-strenuous projects on which we can collaborate,” said Brits.
In addition to supporting the facility’s recycling project, the port recently planted 10 indigenous trees at the workshop to mark Arbor Week – which runs in the first week of September.
This initiative was in partnership with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE).
Richards Bay port manager Dennis Mqadi said, “Trees can significantly reduce the threat of heat-related illnesses, purify the air from pollutants, and promote the overall health and well-being of our communities.
“This growing demand for trees is not a passing trend; it's a fundamental shift towards a sustainable future."
Mqadi further commended the port's employees, who diligently collect recyclable materials and dispose of them using dedicated bins each month.
"These materials find new
life at Thuthukani Resource Centre, where they are sorted and recycled. The Arbor Week
initiative marks an extension of this valuable relationship," he said.