Deputy Minister Bernice Swart: Waste Khoro Conference in Mangaung, Free State Province

Programme Director,

The Premier of Free State,

MEC,

Executive Mayors,

Captains of Industry,

Distinguished guests,

Waste Pickers,

Development Funding Institutions,

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning

It is a great honour and privilege for me to be addressing you at this important gathering of the waste management sector in the country. I wish to commend the Department in convening this Waste Khoro 2026, with a focus on circular economy transition through licensing. My appreciation goes to the Premier of Free State, the MEC, the Mayor of Mangaung, for hosting this Waste Khoro.

The support and participation of Waste Pickers, civil society organisations, municipalities, provincial authorities, academia, producers and Producer Responsibility Organisations, for your continued support and participation in the review of the National Waste Management Strategy 2020, is acknowledged. Your unwavering commitment to the growth and implementation success of the Extended Producer Responsibility framework in South Africa is improving service delivery and leading to the realisation of an environment that is protected from waste pollution and that is not harmful to health.

Strategic partnerships with various sectors of society, including the private sector, continue to drive policy development, including our Extended Producer Responsibility Regulations.

This Khoro comes at a crucial moment in our country’s journey towards a circular economy, one in which materials are continuously repurposed, waste is minimised, and economic opportunities are maximised. We are placing emphasis on compliance improvement and licensing as part of this transition.

The promulgation of the Extended Producer Regulations in the past four years in South Africa marked a significant transition of the waste sector to formally embrace the principles of circularity, materials efficiency, environmental protection and opportunities for the unemployed and informal sector.

Ladies and gentlemen

The Waste Act, the National Waste Management Strategy and the Extended Producer Regulations are not merely compliance tools. They are transformative policy instruments aimed at shifting accountability from downstream to upstream, placing responsibility for the entire lifecycle on producers and brand owners themselves. This policy is about rethinking product design, improving recyclability, enhancing collection systems, and supporting the broader waste value chain.

We have witnessed a growing sense of accountability among producers of various prioritised products. There is a strong commitment from Extended Producer Responsibility schemes to lessen the burden of waste management from municipalities across the country, including in the Free State, Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

We also note the commitment by Producer Responsibility Organisations to engage continuously with government with the intention of improving their schemes. This is a positive step and we encourage deeper engagement.

In the past four years, we have witnessed progress in the rollout of many Extended Producer Responsibility schemes, including:

• Increased industry participation and registration under various Producer Responsibility Organisations
• Investment in infrastructure for collection, sorting and recycling
• Partnerships that drive job creation and local circular economy
• Support for Waste Pickers

However, challenges remain, particularly in integrating informal waste collectors, strengthening education and behaviour change, and developing inclusive value chains.

In July 2024, Cabinet Lekgotla agreed on a minimum Programme of Priorities which were translated into the Medium Term Development Plan for 2024 to 2029. This serves as the implementation framework for the National Development Plan Vision 2030.

In his Opening of Parliament Address in July 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced three strategic priorities for the next five years:

• Inclusive growth and job creation
• Reducing poverty and tackling the high cost of living
• Building a capable, ethical and developmental state

Allow me to highlight priority areas requiring collective action:

• Public Private Partnerships as a lever for systemic change
• Education, awareness and behavioural change
• Waste Picker empowerment and a just transition to a circular economy
• Increasing waste diversion from landfill to opportunity

Waste Pickers remain central to the waste economy. Their integration through fair compensation, formalised conditions, access to equipment and training is essential for justice, efficiency and sustainability.

South Africa still sends over 60% of its waste to landfill. Through Extended Producer Responsibility, we aim to significantly increase waste diversion, especially plastics and packaging. This requires support for buy back centres, materials recovery facilities, recycling technologies and stronger integration between informal and formal sectors.

As government, we remain committed to creating an enabling environment for innovation, transparency and inclusive growth within the waste sector. We expect producers and Producer Responsibility Organisations to meet their responsibilities with urgency.

Let us commit to:

• Strengthening reporting, accountability and governance in Extended Producer Responsibility schemes
• Co creating models that empower communities and small businesses
• Expanding public private partnerships for circular economy impact
• Promoting national pride in environmental stewardship

In closing, I thank all stakeholders for their leadership and contribution to waste management, circular economy transition, job creation and Waste Picker integration.

The road to a circular economy requires collective action, alignment and innovation. Together, we can build a South Africa where waste is not a burden, but a resource that drives growth, jobs and environmental restoration.

Let us use this Waste Khoro 2026 not only to reflect, but to recommit to action, equity and a cleaner, more sustainable future.

I thank you.

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