South Africa is facing a deepening waste crisis. With 37% of households lacking any formal waste collection services and many more receiving irregular or inadequate pickup, it’s estimated that 196 kilotons of household waste go uncollected each year (CSIR, 2022). In the absence of alternatives, communities are often forced to dump or burn their waste – posing major risks to health, safety, and the environment.
But in two communities in the North West and Limpopo provinces, things have changed.
Once without any formal waste service, the communities of Ikemeleng, near Rustenburg, and Smashblock—the oldest informal settlement in Limpopo, near Thabazimbi—are now part of a functioning, community-driven waste system. Together, they’ve just passed a major milestone: over 1 million kilograms of waste collected. To put that into perspective, that is equivalent to the weight of some 200 adult African elephants.
Nova is the implementing partner for these programmes, working on behalf of Northam Platinum and Anglo American, who fund the initiative as part of their commitment to environmental responsibility and community development. The model being rolled out is Nova’s own: a decentralised, small-scale waste management system designed to be practical, data-driven, and rooted in community participation.
To date, 574,610 kg of waste has been diverted from landfills through recycling and composting, showing what’s possible when communities are equipped and empowered to manage their waste streams. Each household receives three bins to separate recyclables, organics, and non-recyclables at source. Residents are trained on sorting, and local teams—including previously informal waste pickers—manage collection and processing. Digital tools monitor waste flows from household to facility, providing real-time oversight and accountability.
The sites have drawn the attention of national circular economy experts, who have commended the high rates of household participation, the reliability of data systems, and the rigour of the built-in quality assurance processes.
Beyond the visible impact of cleaner streets and fewer dumpsites, the system is delivering a range of wider benefits. The reduction in open burning has led to a massive decrease in emission of harmful pollutants directly into the breathing space of household members, especially where waste was previously incinerated in backyards. We have tables that quantify particulate emissions, and it is literally tonnes of particulates that are avoided, right there in the yard. This, in turn, reduces the risk of respiratory illnesses, particularly in children and older people. The removal of unmanaged waste may also help reduce localised flooding and control disease vectors like rats and mosquitoes. Residents have reported a noticeable reduction in conflict and tension, particularly related to smoke drifting into neighbouring homes or spoiling drying laundry — small but meaningful shifts in everyday life that highlight the social impact of dignified, localised waste services.
This 1-million-kilogram milestone shows what’s possible when a practical, well-managed model is matched with consistent support and local buy-in. As South Africa faces growing pressure to rethink how waste is managed – especially in underserved areas – the experience of Ikemeleng and Smashblock offers valuable insights.
Nova is actively seeking ways to expand these benefits to other communities across the country, working with partners who share the goal of improving quality of life through inclusive, community-led systems. We welcome collaboration with those looking to build responsive, data-driven waste solutions that deliver measurable results, one kilogram at a time.