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Deputy Minister Swarts: Keynote address at the 7th Global Forum of Cities for Circular Economy (GFCCE) Workshop

Protea Hotel, Balalaika Sandton, Johannesburg , 28 January 2025

 

The High Commissioner of India in South Africa, Mr. Prabhat Kumar,
The Director General, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, Ms. Sunita Narain,
Programme Director for Solid Waste Management and Circular Economy, Centre for Science and Environment, Dr. Atin Biswas,
Esteemed Government Delegations from Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, locally in South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe,south africa
Members of the media,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with great honour and deep appreciation that I address you today at the 7th Global Forum of Cities for Circular Economy (GFCCE) workshop. The Government of South Africa and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, extends its gratitude to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), India, for its unwavering commitment to advancing circular economy principles and enhancing solid waste management systems across the Global South.

Cities account for 75% of natural resource consumption and 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions. More of our people will continue to migrate to cities to seek better opportunities and it is necessary that cities become resilient on resource efficiency and reduce environmental footprint.

Since its inception in 2021, the GFCCE has been a beacon of collaborative engagement and an invaluable platform for knowledge sharing. South Africa has been privileged to actively participate in this remarkable initiative, which has significantly enriched our efforts in the waste management and circular economy arenas.

Co-hosting the 7th edition of this forum is a profound privilege and presents an opportunity to further strengthen partnerships and drive transformative solutions for sustainable waste management, particularly across Africa

The Common Agenda for Action, with its emphasis on policy reforms, robust implementation mechanisms, and strengthened institutional frameworks, resonates strongly with South Africa’s commitment to fostering sustainable development and impactful waste management practices. This forum exemplifies the essence of South-South cooperation by uniting nations under a shared vision to mainstream and integrate circular economy principles throughout the African continent.

At the heart of our national efforts lies the constitutional mandate to safeguard the environment and uphold every citizen’s right to a clean and healthy environment. Circular Economy is critical for material supply security and sustainable economy.

South Africa has thus, instituted various policy instruments and initiatives to advance sustainable development pathways, with circular economy principles firmly embedded in these strategies, these include the National Waste Management Strategy, Extended Producer Responsibility Regulations for priority waste streams and other economic instruments that include fee, levies and taxes to incentivise or disincentivise behaviour change. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) became necessary to be included in South Africa’s policy mix, given the increased generation of waste. EPR shifts seeks to shift the responsibility for products from municipalities and consumers to producers. South Africa is under immense pressure and the host city - City of Joburg together with others - do not have sufficient landfill airspace. It is therefore necessary to utilise a policy mix to address resource efficiency. It is also necessary that cities are enabled to monitor resource use.

We recognize, too, that meaningful progress can only be achieved through strong partnerships. Therefore, collaboration between government and the private sector is paramount in realizing the goals of the Waste Management Hierarchy and facilitating our transition to a circular economy. South Africa remains steadfast in its commitment to strengthening these partnerships and advancing the shared objectives of the GFCCE. This collaboration benefits our governments through reduced spending and create green opportunities.

Esteemed guests, congratulations are in order to the Centre for Science and Environment and the Forum on the release of the compendium “Towards Circularity: Good Practices in Solid Waste Management in Africa.” This milestone publication is a testament to the wealth of innovative practices emerging across the continent and offers a critical resource for advancing the circular economy agenda.

Your Excellency, High Commissioner of India, Mr Kumar, South Africa has noted that India has vast experience in waste tyre recycling and management. The team from South Africa’s Waste Management Bureau are keen on pursuing technical cooperation focusing on waste tyre management. Let this workshop finalise the modalities of this technical cooperation.

Delegates, as you embark on this two-day 7th edition of the GFCCE workshop, I wish to extend my best wishes for its success. May the discussions and exchanges during this forum lead to impactful outcomes and foster continued collaboration across our nations.

Let us build on the strong foundation established by the GFCCE to realize a future that is sustainable, inclusive, and resilient. Together, we can make a lasting difference for our cities, our citizens, and our planet.

I thank you.

For media enquiries, please contact

Peter Mbelengwa 
Mobile: 082 611 8197
E-mail: pmbelengwa@dffe.gov.za

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