Programme director
The Mayor of Nkomazi Local Municipality, Cllr Phindile Pertunia Magagula,
Amakhosi that are present here today and the ones I met earlier,
All Councillors 
Industry, Business leaders and Partners in the sector,
Government officials present,
Community members,
Members of the Media,
Sanibonani! Warm greetings to you all.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is an honour and a privilege to stand before you today to launch the Electronic and Electrical Waste (E-Waste) Recycling Project here in Nkomazi Local Municipality, Mpumalanga. 

We are also handing over 800 trees to the eight (8) traditional authorities represented here today as a symbol of the initiation of the Revamped National Greening Programme. Through the Revamped National Greening Programme we aim to plant at least one million trees in a single day during the month of September 2025, as we celebrate Arbor Month. We request our Traditional Leaders to assist us to mobilise communities in this regard. The Department will outline the details at a later stage through officials based in the province.

Today marks a significant milestone in our journey towards creating a cleaner, greener and more sustainable environment. This initiative, which is a key part of our national efforts to manage waste more effectively, demonstrates our commitment to tackling one of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges of e-waste.

Ladies and gentlemen, e-waste is growing at an alarming rate! E-waste is now considered the fastest-growing waste stream worldwide. The proliferation of technology and the consumer-driven nature of our society have led to millions of tons of electronic devices being discarded each year. These devices, from old cell phones and laptops to televisions and household appliances, contain harmful materials such as lead, mercury, and cadmium, which can have devastating effects on our environment and public health if not properly managed. In South Africa, we generate over 360,000 tons of e-waste annually, and unfortunately, only a small fraction of 10% of this is properly recycled. The rest ends up in landfills, or worse, is illegally dumped, posing serious risks to our ecosystems.

In Nkomazi Local Municipality, like many other parts of our country, improper disposal of e-waste has become a growing concern. As we all know, the municipality faces challenges with waste management, and (e-waste) is one of the most problematic. The increasing number of electronic devices being used without a proper system for disposal has led to the accumulation of waste that harms our environment and contaminates water and soil. Today’s launch of the E-Waste Recycling Project is our response to this growing crisis.
The goal of this project is to test and implement a sustainable system for recycling e-waste in Nkomazi. This initiative is being launched in partnership with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs, Ehlanzeni District Municipality, Nkomazi Local Municipality, Industry and the Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs). Through this collaboration, we aim to not only manage and dispose of e-waste responsibly but also raise awareness among communities about the importance of recycling and the dangers of improper e-waste disposal.

The success of this project relies heavily on the participation of the local community. By providing households with easy access to recycling facilities and offering guidance on how to properly separate and dispose of their old electronic devices, we aim to change the way residents think about their waste. The Department has put in place Extended Producer Responsibility Regulations that reduce the burden on waste management linked to specific waste streams in e-Waste. This legislation has enabled the Producer Responsibility Organisations for Electrical and Electronic Equipment including lighting equipment to collect fees from producers of electrical and electronic equipment. These fees amounted to a total revenue of R158 million based on externally audited reports received by the Department for 2023. These EPR fees enable all the PROs to develop and implement programmes for e-Waste Management.

e-Waste Collection and Recycling is a key Programme that the Department is overseeing that is implemented through the various e-Waste PROs. PROs in the E-waste sector, EWASA, ERA, Circular Energy and R2E2 are all required to work with municipalities to ensure that the e-waste is collected in various parts of the country. We have today on-site two of the PROs - R2E2 and EWASA. The wheelie bins provided by the Producer Responsibility Organisation (eWASA) to the Nkomazi Local Municipality will be placed at designated sites, which will be determined by the Nkomazi Local Municipality and communicated widely to the community.

These bins will serve as dedicated receptacles for collecting e-waste, ensuring that it is separated from general household waste and directed to specialized recycling channels.  e-Waste collection enterprises that are based in Nkomazi will be charged with the responsibility of servicing these designated sites through collecting the e-Waste. The enterprises will be led by Previously Disadvantaged Individuals and with a particular demonstration of transformation and inclusivity. The collection and recycling of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) will prevent toxic substances from leaching into the soil and water, protecting both our environment and our health.

One of the key aspects of the Extended Producer Responsibility Regulations is the legal requirement for Producer Responsibility Organisations to provide a service fee for waste collection by the informal waste sector, waste pickers. This service fee is over and above the money that waste pickers get for “selling” the waste. Today, as part of the launch the PROs - EWASA and R2E2 - will provide incentives in a form of vouchers for the e-waste that they will collect from members of the community. The incentives differ in price depending on the weight and type of e-waste. In addition to the immediate incentives today as part of this launch, EWASA (a producer responsibility organisation) will incentivise the top 3 community members that have brought the largest volume by weight of the e-Waste. These vouchers will range from R200-R500. R2E2 is willing to collect big appliances or e-waste from your home that could not be brought here, this will be done after the Imbizo.

Furthermore, this project is about more than just waste management, it is about creating jobs and stimulating local economic development. Through this initiative, we are engaging more Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) to facilitate the increase of e-Waste recycling. These organisations play a crucial role in managing the end-of-life phase of electronic products and are an important part of the national effort to promote a circular economy, where materials are reused and recycled rather than discarded. Through collaboration with these organizations, we can ensure that this project is sustainable and scalable, with the potential to expand across other regions in the future.

The importance of this project cannot be overstated. Not only will it help Nkomazi manage its e-waste problem more effectively, but it will also contribute to our country’s broader environmental goals. As part of the National Waste Management Strategy 2020, South Africa has committed to reducing waste sent to landfills, increasing recycling rates, and promoting a circular economy. The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations, which place responsibility for end-of-life products on producers, are key to this vision. By encouraging industry involvement in waste management, we are ensuring that those who create waste are also part of the solution.

In the coming months, we will monitor the progress of this project to ensure that it meets its objectives. This includes tracking the volume of e-waste collected, the effectiveness of the community awareness campaigns, and the number of local jobs created through the project. Our goal is to ensure that this project becomes a success story and a model that can be replicated across other municipalities in Mpumalanga and beyond.

As we move forward with this project, I urge all the residents of Nkomazi to participate. This initiative offers a chance to make a real difference in the way we manage waste in our communities. By working together, we can help ensure that e-waste is recycled responsibly, that valuable materials are recovered, and that our environment is protected for future generations.

In conclusion, the E-Waste Recycling Project in Nkomazi is a step in the right direction, but it is only the beginning. Achieving long-term success in managing e-waste requires continued efforts from all stakeholders - government, industry, and communities. Let us work together to make this project a success, and let it serve as a model for other municipalities to follow. I am confident that, with the commitment of all those involved, we can achieve our collective goal of a cleaner and more sustainable future.

I will now invite the e-waste recycling PROs present here to join me on stage to conduct a demonstration on the e-waste recycling process.

I thank you!

For media enquiries: 
Peter Mbelengwa
Cell: 082 611 8197
Email: pmbelengwa@dffe.gov.za