ISOW - Unlocking Opportunity Through Waste Beneficiation in Bushbuckridge
Bushbuckridge, a local municipality in the north eastern part of the Mpumalanga Province in South Africa, within the Ehlanzeni District Municipality, is exploring ways to turn waste into opportunity through a community-driven waste beneficiation initiative.
Bushbuckridge, a local municipality in the north eastern part of the Mpumalanga Province in South Africa, within the Ehlanzeni District Municipality, is exploring ways to turn waste into opportunity through a community-driven waste beneficiation initiative. Still in the early stages, the project aims to empower women and youth, create local business opportunities, and strengthen the green economy, while fostering collaboration between communities, municipalities, private partners, and Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs).
Recently stakeholders in the project including teams from the funding partners, implementing partners, PROs and project staff undertook a site visit to Thulamashe and Acornhoek to see in real time what the situation on the ground is like.
The Innovative Solutions for Waste (ISOW) project is an initiative by Plastics SA funded by the GIZ through the Employment Promotion for Women for the Green Transformation in Africa – WE4D Programme which aims to improve women’s employment opportunities, especially in green sectors and in companies and value chains that are driving the green transformation on the African continent.
Initial studies done by Plastics SA through baseline and feasibility studies, have shown that much of the waste in Thulamashe and Acornhoek is unmanaged—burned, dumped, or buried—while small portions are collected by informal recyclers and buy-back centres. The project is planning systems to catch valuable materials before they reach landfills, including household and community-based collection, sorting, and pre-processing, ultimately feeding a beneficiation centre that can create marketable products such as recycled boards, glass bricks, and packaging materials.
During the site visit to Thulamahashe and its surrounding areas, the team gained first-hand insights into the realities and opportunities on the ground. They visited residential neighbourhoods and business zones that will form part of the collection catchment area, observed illegal dumping hotspots and their impact on key local rivers, and reviewed current waste management practices at the main shopping centre. A visit to the new Regional Landfill Site in Thulamahashe – earmarked as the future location of the Beneficiation Centre – included a walk-through of the office space, existing infrastructure, and overall site layout, followed by discussions with municipal representatives on planning and integration.
To better understand the local recycling ecosystem, the team also visited existing buy-back centres operating in the broader area, exploring their scale, operational models, and potential partnership opportunities to strengthen local value chains. The visit concluded with a stakeholder workshop at the Bohlabela Chamber, bringing together key actors to align on opportunities, challenges, and a shared vision for a community-driven waste beneficiation system. The Moss Group, Aquila Environmental, University of the Western Cape and Kruger to Canyons Biosphere conducted the workshop on the feasibility study for Waste Beneficiation in Bushbuckridge.
The partnership with the different PROs including Petco, Polyco and Metpac-SA will support the project with meaningful infrastructure, training, technical expertise and equipment like trailers, bailing machines etc. “It was important to involve the PROs in the site visit so that they could have a look at the physical structure. This project is more than waste management—it’s a chance to empower communities, create jobs, and protect the environment, together,” said Anton Hanekom, Executive Director Plastics SA.
The buy-in from the surrounding communities is also a critical factor coupled with working together with the municipality to ensure project goals such as job creation, skills development, education and awareness are reached. “A shift in the mindset is important. The area is clean so separating waste at the source will not be too difficult. Communities don’t like living in dirty spaces—they will engage when they see ownership, tangible benefits, and strong partnerships,” said Douw Steyn, Director Sustainability, Plastics SA.
Two team members have joined the project as part of the team. Samuel Kumbula as Project Manager and Hope Marema Project Coordinator who is a local resident in the community and understands the different dynamics they face. Soon the project will also appoint Waste ambassadors who will help with education, outreach, and active participation, shaping the system to meet local needs and build a sense of ownership.
WE4D is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ); Co-funded by the European Union through regional and bilateral Team Europe Initiatives (TEIs) and Norway.
In South Africa, WE4D is part of the Centre of Cooperation with the Private Sector (CCPS) which drives innovative partnerships between public and private actors to promote sustainable economic growth and inclusive employment across Africa. Its core lies in leveraging private sector collaboration as a catalyst for development impact — ensuring that women, youth, and communities are at the centre of transformation.
