DFFE’s WEERSA recycling platform connects MSMEs with US$13M in existing grant support

SOUTH AFRICA – South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has launched the Waste Economy Enterprises Repository of South Africa, a new digital platform designed to connect recycling businesses across the country with funding opportunities, partnerships and government support.

The launch of the WEERSA platform addresses a long-standing challenge identified by the DFFE: the absence of a centralized, up-to-date repository that has significantly limited policymakers’ and stakeholders’ ability to access critical sector information and develop evidence-based interventions for businesses in the recycling economy. 

By creating a single national directory, the department aims to improve planning, strengthen collaboration and provide a clearer picture of the recycling landscape across South Africa, where recycling plays an increasingly important role in economic development and job creation.

How WEERSA’s National Directory Connects Recycling MSMEs with US$13M in Existing Grant Support

The DFFE’s strategic development of WEERSA builds on existing efforts to support recycling MSMEs, with the department’s Recycling Enterprise Support Programme having already awarded R241 million (US$13.0 million) in grants to 56 recycling projects across all nine provinces, creating approximately 526 direct jobs and diverting 3.2 million tons of material from landfill annually. 

These projects include material recovery facilities, plastic processing plants, buy-back centres and construction and demolition waste recycling operations that have demonstrated significant potential for job creation and environmental impact. 

The WEERSA platform will help identify and connect similar enterprises with funding opportunities and business development support.

What CIPC-Compliant Recycling Businesses Gain from Joining South Africa’s Circular Economy Network

The WEERSA platform will serve as a smart web- and mobile-friendly national directory designed to map, connect and empower MSMEs operating in the recycling sector across the country. 

To qualify for inclusion, businesses must have a valid Companies and Intellectual Property Commission registration number. 

The repository’s main objectives include accurately registering and maintaining a database of MSMEs in the recycling sector, acting as a source of accurate information for the industry, providing enterprises with information about funding and empowerment opportunities, and acting as a link between key role players in the recycling economy. 

Registered businesses will gain easier access to information on funding opportunities, empowerment programmes and initiatives designed to strengthen enterprise development, while also improving visibility to government departments, development agencies and potential partners looking to support projects within the circular economy.

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