Community donations are used but not broken, useable items. Waste is legally defined as property you own but with no recoverable or beneficial value, i.e., a municipality and their waste contractor's responsibility, and not recyclable.
Here’s a list of commonly recyclable items in South Africa, categorised for easy reference: Constitutionally protected ownership.
Paper Products
Newspapers
Magazines
Cardboard boxes (e.g., cereal boxes, shoe boxes)
Office paper (e.g., printer paper, photocopies)
Books (remove hardcovers)
Envelopes (no plastic windows)
Paper bags
Paper egg cartons
Plastics
PET bottles (e.g., water, cool drink bottles)
HDPE containers (e.g., milk and juice bottles, detergent containers)
Plastic lids and caps (sorted separately)
Plastic bags and wraps (clean and dry, often #2 or #4)
Yogurt tubs and margarine tubs (rinsed, typically #5)