New South African initiative to drive community engagement 

• A growing trend across Africa is the involvement of communities in waste management through incentivised programs, driving local participation and promoting recycling.

• Community engagement is pivotal in Africa’s waste management sector. Economic opportunities resulting from waste management have a potentially large impact given the low rates of employment. 

• Our take: The initiative is a step in the right direction. But further ones need to involve the private sector. Governments need to rope in major waste management companies to achieve sustainability… Read more (2 min)

South Africa takes 95% of funding for recycling

• South Africa has received a significant boost in addressing infrastructure decline across its major cities. With a total of $9 billion in funding, comprising a $1 billion loan from the World Bank, $2 billion in government support and $3 billion from revenue collection, the country is tackling a range of critical issues, including waste management in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. 

• A small portion, 0.04% of the total funding, equating to $3.5 million, is directed towards early-stage projects, with initiatives like waste management and tech startups receiving targeted support.

• Our take: It’s official. Even waste management suffers from inequality. Rapid urbanisation means that waste management and recycling are a growing issue outside South Africa too … Read more (2 min)

Waste policies shift from reaction to long-term solutions

• The long-term approach is marked by sector-specific waste management strategies, moving away from traditional one-size-fits-all policies.

• For example, Nigeria is focusing on plastic waste, South Africa is prioritising e-waste management and Malawi is addressing infectious medical waste disposal.

• Our take: Africa’s shift from reactive to proactive waste management policies indicates a growing commitment to sustainability……Read more (2 min)

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