DISPOSABLE nappies are meant to be used once and get thrown away.
But some families are recycling them. They wash the used nappies and dry them in the sun for reuse.
Residents from Waterworks near Soweto said this had become the norm.
Daily Sun found a resident washing disposable nappies and hanging them on the washing line.
Residents said they saw nothing wrong with this as it was done all the time.
"Pampers are expensive. We wash and dry them so we can reuse them," said a mum who didn't want to be named.
"Many people have been hit hard by lockdown and we only get little money to buy food if we hustle. People should go back to using towel nappies," said gogo Mathapelo Motloutsi.
Mum Rebecca Ntsu (28) said she was unemployed while the father of her one-year-old son had odd jobs.
"We don't have money to buy pampers now and then. Since the father of my son is the only breadwinner, I wash and dry them."
Residents said that they were forced to do this as cheaper nappies were also expensive.
Paediatrician Dr Michael Platten said washing pampers and reusing them was not recommendable, and was unhygienic.
He said mothers should rather use towel nappies.
