By Joe-Chintha Garises
BETHANIE, July 27 -– A visit to the dumpsite at Bethanie gave 55-year-old Sakaria Banda an idea of how he could earn a living from scrap metal.
Banda started collecting scrap material in 2022 for sale to recycling companies.
“I started with light steel, but now I collect light and heavy steel, copper, brass and aluminium cans and plastic which I sell to recycling companies,” Banda said.
Banda operates his business from his house in Bethanie and buys some of the scraps from people 2ho bring them to him.
He says as a struggling startup he had approached the village council seeking help to acquire a pressing machine for the soft metals so that he could compact more into a small area for more profit as well as easier handling.
He says he is helping the council to keep the environment of the village free from scrap.
The village council however sent prospective investors to him but they just went quiet after meeting him.
He used to sell the scrap metal loose and that lowers his income because the scrap would not weigh much.
This was until one of his customers, a Mr Emmel Stein, borrowed him a press he now uses.
Banda’s biggest customers are in South Africa where the scrap is recycled but this presents a huge transportation challenge to take the scrap metal there. He uses public transport to more his scrap materials.
“I employ casual workers as I cannot afford permanent workers because this is just an upcoming business,” he added.
Banda now sells steel and plastic to companies in Namibia while he only exports Copper, Brass and Aluminum to South Africa.
He said getting buyers is sometimes a struggle because he must have a certain weight to be able to sell the material.
“I want to create employment for my fellow people but with the little I get can’t afford it,” he added.
