Partnership and community action create cleaner communities

01 December 2025

The City’s Urban Waste Management Directorate is celebrating significant progress in its community-led waste minimisation and recycling pilot projects, launched earlier this year to coincide with Clean-up and Recycling Week SA 2025. The initiative, spearheaded by myself, as the Mayoral Committee Member of the Urban Waste Management (UWM) Directorate, continues to demonstrate the power of partnerships and community action.

In Ward 7, which includes parts of Brackenfell and Kraaifontein, volunteers are now collecting an average of 15 bulk bags of recyclable waste every week, proving the effectiveness of a model that places communities at the centre of local environmental solutions.

This achievement belongs to the community. Our volunteers have gone above and beyond, collecting thousands of bags of recyclables, educating households and showing that meaningful change starts at the grassroots level. We are deeply grateful for their dedication and passion.

I would also like to extend my appreciation to our Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis for his continued support of the initiative. His commitment to scaling up community-driven recycling efforts by introducing an incentives programme that will help pave a way for long-term sustainability and wider participation across Cape Town.

Our Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) partner, Polyco, continues to play a key role by supplying PPE, providing training and technical support, and linking community projects with recyclers and buyers. Their monthly reporting shows strong upward trends in waste diversion and community participation. I would like to further extend my gratitude to Bounty Brands for supporting us with refuse bags.

Given the early success in Ward 7, roll-outs are now under way in several new areas, including informal settlements where separation-at-source opportunities are limited.

These results reinforce what we have always believed: when government, residents and industry work together, we can build cleaner, greener, and more sustainable neighbourhoods.

Residents are encouraged to continue supporting volunteers, embrace recycling, and play an active role in reducing waste sent to landfills.

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Published by:
Media Office, City of Cape Town