For families facing challenges in making ends meet, the City of Cape Town is stepping in to assist residents in transforming recyclables into essential items such as groceries, toiletries, and school supplies.
With the mobile Swop Shop, recycling has become more accessible. Residents can now bring their recyclables to the Swop Shop and trade them for valuable goods, especially grocery necessities.
Since August 2025, 52 tonnes of waste have been diverted from landfill, while families received R161,000 worth of goods in return.
A Delft resident, Ruth Sinclair, shared that women benefit greatly from the initiative as it allows them to obtain food to feed their children. She added that although she has tried to encourage others to participate in recycling, some unfortunately have yet to recognise the rewards the initiative offers.
According to the City’s Senior Professional Officer for Waste Services, Noel Johannessen, in the first year of the project (2019/20), just under 100 tonnes of recyclable waste were collected, benefitting the community. In the second year, it was just under 90 tonnes – proving the service to be quite effective.
The Swop Shop is funded by the City and supported through the sale of collected recyclables, but private businesses are also invited to contribute. Donations of goods or supplies help the initiative expand and reach more families.