REDISA urges South African parliament to address waste tyre mismanagement

SOUTH AFRICA – The Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of South Africa (REDISA) has called on the Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment to hold the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE) accountable for the country’s escalating waste tyre crisis.

In a letter to the Chairperson of the committee, REDISA highlighted that South Africa generates at least 253,000 tonnes of waste tyres annually.

The organization warns that the Waste Bureau, under the DFFE, is failing to manage this mounting waste effectively.

Beyond the environmental and public health risks posed by unchecked tyre pollution, REDISA stresses that mismanagement is also a missed economic opportunity, as recycling could drive job creation and economic growth.

Financial mismanagement concerns

An environmental levy of R2.30+VAT per kilogram is collected on every tyre sold in South Africa, a cost ultimately borne by consumers. However, REDISA raises concerns that less than half of these funds actually reach the Waste Bureau.

“Given the scale of the waste tyre problem and the urgent need for job creation, South Africa has a unique opportunity to turn waste into an economic asset,” said Hermann Erdmann, CEO of REDISA.

“Proper waste tyre management can serve as a model for broader recycling and employment generation.”

Between 2012 and 2017, REDISA managed South Africa’s tyre waste, successfully diverting over 300,000 tonnes from landfills while creating thousands of jobs and supporting hundreds of small and medium enterprises.

However, in 2017, then-Minister Edna Molewa removed REDISA from the programme, a move that the Supreme Court of Appeal later deemed unlawful and based on unfounded allegations.

“The Zuma government sought to seize control of a world-leading waste tyre programme for financial and political gain. Unfortunately, they succeeded, and the mismanagement continues today,” said Stacey Jansen, a Director at REDISA.

“Oversight and transparency are urgently needed, along with rational, well-structured plans.”

Flaws in the new waste tyre plan

In March 2023, the Cabinet approved a new Industry Waste Tyre Management Plan (IndWTMP), but REDISA argues that the plan will only exacerbate the crisis.

The organization criticizes the plan for lacking clear goals, timeframes, and a budget while containing factual errors and internal inconsistencies. In response, REDISA initiated legal action against the plan in September 2024.

Despite the legal challenge, the DFFE continues to issue tenders for waste tyre processors, storage sites, depot operators, and micro-collectors—none of which align with the plan’s framework.

Minister Deon George has also declined to meet with REDISA, citing ongoing litigation, a stance that REDISA believes is counterproductive to resolving the issue amicably and efficiently.

A call for parliamentary oversight

REDISA is optimistic that the Portfolio Committee will take a proactive stance where the DFFE has been uncooperative.

“As Parliament reconvenes, priorities for the year will be set. The waste tyre crisis can be resolved, but only with effective oversight and recognition of the extent of the mismanagement,” Erdmann concluded.

The organisation urges the government to prioritise waste tyre management, ensuring that funds are properly allocated and that South Africa can harness its recycling potential to drive economic and environmental progress.

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