Transforming waste into opportunity: the Greater Tygerberg Partnership's buy-back centre

In a country where nearly 32% of the population remains unemployed, an innovative initiative in Bellville, Cape Town, is demonstrating that inclusivity and creativity can drive significant economic and environmental transformation. The Greater Tygerberg Partnership’s (GTP) Buy-Back Centre has emerged as a beacon of hope and a blueprint in addressing two of South Africa's most pressing challenges: waste management and joblessness.

Launched in 2019 as part of the Trolley and Recycling Project, the Buy-Back Centre was conceived to guide homeless and unemployed individuals towards a safer, structured path to earning a living through recycling. Initially established on a modest scale, it has rapidly evolved into an internationally acknowledged model of urban regeneration, green innovation, and social empowerment, with potential to be replicated across the nation.

In South Africa, approximately 80% of post-consumer waste is processed through the informal economy, where countless waste pickers toil daily for minimal returns. The GTP model seeks to formalise this labour by connecting these workers to legal and accessible buy-back centres. This initiative not only provides training, stipends, and essential equipment but also ensures the safe working conditions necessary for sustainable employment.

The results have been astounding. In the past year alone, the Buy-Back Centre processed over 113,000 kilograms of recyclables, creating 23 jobs for previously homeless or unemployed individuals. Participants receive daily stipends, ongoing training, and access to vital life skills development and addiction recovery support, thanks to partnerships with organisations like MES Cape Town and Green Cape.

Looking to the future, 2024 will see the introduction of South Africa's first electric waste collection vehicles. This innovation promises to enhance efficiency and reduce carbon emissions while ensuring that waste pickers secure better earnings from their collections. Currently, more than 180 local businesses and schools in Bellville are part of this recycling network, fostering a cleaner city and a more inclusive economy.

A scalable solution with global recognition

The initiative's successes have not gone unnoticed. It was recently awarded the PETCO “Kerbside Collection and Sorting Superhero” Award for its community-driven, long-lasting, and efficient approach to separation-at-source. Furthermore, on an international stage, it received the IDA Downtown Achievement Award of Excellence, placing Bellville alongside leading global cities recognised for innovative urban management and sustainable place-making.

Warren Hewitt, CEO of the Greater Tygerberg Partnership, views this recognition as a chance to broaden the initiative's impact. "Bellville faces challenges like poverty, unemployment, and waste overload that reflect those of many South African cities. This model demonstrates that through effective collaboration among communities, governments, and the private sector, we can turn these challenges into opportunities for growth, dignity, and sustainability," he explains.

The success of the Buy-Back Centre is anchored in multi-sector partnerships that break down barriers between informal workers, municipalities, NGOs, and private enterprises. These alliances illustrate how social justice and environmental sustainability can mutually reinforce each other, creating a cycle of positive change.

Through collaborations with entities like the Voortrekker Road Corridor Improvement District, MES Cape Town, Green Cape, and eWASA, the GTP has cultivated a model that is financially viable, socially inclusive, and environmentally restorative. This framework integrates informal waste collectors into a circular economy, alleviating municipal waste burdens while enhancing urban cleanliness.

“What makes this model remarkable is its adaptability. It functions effectively in dense urban environments like Bellville as well as in smaller towns or rural areas. Its low-cost electric collection vehicles, community partnerships, and skills development framework make it scalable without requiring extensive municipal budgets,” Hewitt adds, emphasising its scalability as a potent tool for tackling unemployment and waste in tandem.

In a nation battling unemployment and inequality, Bellville's Buy-Back Centre exemplifies the potential that lies in the intersection of innovation and compassion. It tells the story of individuals who were once marginalised, now earning with dignity, signalling a revolution in urban renewal grounded in community values—and offers hope for a national scale-up to create sustainable livelihoods, cleaner cities, and stronger communities across South Africa.