Venue: Umkumbaan Hall
Date: 16 September 2025
eThekwini Municipality, in collaboration with MetPac-SA, held a public art exhibition to showcase artworks made from recyclable materials. This event was held in commemoration of World Recycling Week. The recyclable materials included metal, PET, paper, glass, and organic waste.
The event highlighted the importance of waste minimisation and its creative use; it also fostered innovation among the youth. This initiative sought to promote sustainability while supporting local talent. MetPac-SA showed its commitment to waste minimisation and the circular economy by curating artwork created by a local waste picker, who created world-class art from aluminum cans collected from a landfill in Amajuba District.
The local waste picker, who is now an artist, has received full support from MetPac-SA through funding for paint, brushes, stencils, canvases, art tools, art gloves, art aprons, and art equipment to ensure he thrives in his business. Furthermore, MetPac-SA has engaged the artist—the local waste picker—in a skills development programme to educate the youth of South Africa on how to create jewellery boxes, pencil cases, wall clocks, wall mirrors, and wall art from tinplate, to name just a few.
The amazing event was attended by school children from various schools in the Umkhubaane District. The children were taught about the importance of recycling, re-using, and upcycling. MetPac-SA gave a speech and taught the learners about the infinite recyclability of metal packaging. MetPac-SA also taught the learners about the importance of adopting a circular economy and to refrain from a linear economy, which is “use and dispose.” The learners were engaged, and they asked questions about why people are going around carrying big bags full of cans. Khosi Mbatha, MetPac-SA Project Manager, explained that the people who go around carrying cans are called waste pickers. They have a vital role in keeping the environment free of litter. Learners were taught that waste pickers play a vital role in sustaining the environment. Learners were taught that they must support waste pickers by separating cans at home from the normal waste, keeping the cans in a separate container, and leaving them for waste pickers to collect—a process called separation at source.
MetPac-SA was a full sponsor of the event. It sponsored learners with full catering, including canned cool drinks and water. The event was a resounding success; both learners and educators gained a wealth of knowledge and information and were truly inspired.
