The tricky trouble with trolley pushers

News this week that the Richards Bay police arrested a large group of trolley pushers sparked mixed reaction from the public.

Some sympathised with the impoverished individuals simply picking out recyclable goods to make ends meet, while others applauded the SAPS for being more proactive in tackling incessant theft and other crimes in the area.

Both parties have a point.

Out of the 38 suspects arrested last Thursday, eight have now been linked to previous crimes, including robbery, rape and housebreaking cases reported in the past five years – not only in Richards Bay and Empangeni, but also in KwaMbonambi and Umhlali.

The remaining 30 were released after they were not linked to any crimes.

These individuals could very well only be guilty of acting as productive recycling agents, helping to reduce the amount of waste destined for the City’s landfills.

Unfortunately, it is not so easy to separate the roses from the thorns.

The police have proven the trolley brigade to be a thorny issue after another 16 men were apprehended for fraud and theft in Alton on Tuesday morning.

We must salute our police for their hard work in preventing potential house and business robberies by catching the suspects connected to prior crimes.

But there is also a valuable lesson to be learnt from the recyclers.

If we ourselves take the time to implement basic recycling habits in our homes, with two extra bags separating paper products from plastic and glass bottles, these individuals will act as free refuse removers.

We can reduce the municipal rates by only leaving non-recyclables for the municipal garbage removal services and our blameless poverty-stricken folk can make an honest living with a pat on the back from Mother Nature.