By Nicolle de Bruyn | Executive Officer
IWMSA GlobalGiving Report
The Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA) is a non-profit organisation committed to promoting professional and sustainable waste management practices across South Africa. Over the reporting period, IWMSA delivered a wide range of initiatives including in-person and virtual training sessions, conferences, seminars, charity golf days, and community clean-up and outreach projects. These activities were implemented through IWMSA’s regional branches in collaboration with municipalities, industry partners, schools, and community organisations. In 2026, IWMSA will also host WasteCon 2026, Africa’s premier waste management conference and exhibition, which will mark the Institute’s 50th anniversary and serve as a key platform for knowledge exchange, innovation, and policy dialogue.
In September 2025, IWMSA branches were particularly active. The KwaZulu-Natal Branch hosted its annual Charity Golf Day, bringing together industry stakeholders for networking, collaboration, and knowledge sharing. The Eastern Cape Branch hosted a Sip and Craft Recycling Workshop, combining recycling education, a depot tour, a trashion show, and hands-on upcycling activities. The Western Cape Branch convened a seminar titled A Platform for Partnership, strengthening collaboration between Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs), municipalities, and City Improvement Districts to improve on-the-ground waste management implementation.
World Cleanup Day was marked by large-scale clean-up initiatives, including an East London clean-up covering a 2–5 km stretch and involving more than 30 teams across Buffalo City Metro. The IWMSA team alone collected 66 bags of non-recyclable waste and 960 kg of recyclable material. The Eastern Cape Branch further supported community programmes through the donation of R11,000 worth of brush cutters and gutter brooms to local cleaning and greening initiatives.
Additional highlights included the KZN Recycling Seminar 2025, hosted in partnership with the KZN Recycling Forum, which inspired delegates through discussions on community development, advocacy, partnerships, and impact measurement. The Eastern Cape Branch also hosted the Red House Community Clean-Up in collaboration with the Zwartkops Conservancy and EnviroServ, engaging approximately 100 participants and donating R15,000 worth of dustbins to support ongoing waste management efforts.
The year concluded with environmental restoration initiatives, including the removal of alien vegetation and the planting of indigenous trees in Stirling, where 150 bags of waste were collected by 60 participants. The KwaZulu-Natal Branch also participated in the final Beach Jam clean-up at the Umgeni River mouth. Together, these initiatives—alongside the upcoming WasteCon 2026—underscore IWMSA’s continued commitment to environmental stewardship, community upliftment, and sector-wide collaboration.
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