This week is International Zero Waste Week, encouraging individuals, communities, and businesses to reduce waste, reuse resources, and live sustainably. It coincides with Tourism Month in South Africa, themed “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation” – a reminder that tourism can drive inclusive growth, responsible travel, and community empowerment.
At Dreamcatcher, responsible waste management is core to our mission. For decades, we have fought against the poor management of dumpsites and the open burning of waste – both of which harm the health of residents, visitors, and the environment. Poor environmental quality also limits the growth of local tourism enterprises and peripheral services. Our work addressing waste and its impact on communities, the environment, and tourism is internationally recognised – for example, we are proud recipients of the globally acclaimed African Tourism Leadership Forum Championing Sustainability Award.
🌱 Since 2009, we have convened community waste working groups in Melkhoutfontein. In 2018, as waste continued to significantly impact local residents and the environment, we invited representation from the wider Stilbaai and Jongensfontein coastal resort towns to increase awareness and facilitate change.
But South Africa faces a waste crisis. Waste facilities must be licensed, yet a government report this year revealed that only 16% of 544 landfill sites were compliant, while 60% were non-compliant. AfriForum’s independent report released this week confirmed the scale of the problem: only 22% of 169 sites met the minimum standards.
Overtime we have collaborated and worked on numerous initiatives – examples include:
🎨 2018/19: 2018/19: In collaboration with the University of Brighton (UK) and Junkanew, we trained local crafters to transform waste into innovative products — turning challenges into opportunities. Many of these enterprises continue to thrive today producing and selling crafts to tourism, proving that waste can fuel creativity, livelihoods, and sustainability. This ‘Made in Melkhoutfontein’TM project was recently featured in The Re-Use Atlas by world-renowned architect Duncan Baker-Brown.
🗺️ 2022/23: Co-designed the Community Waste Action Plan for the wider Stilbaai area. The plan sets out 19 actions to drive change, underpinned by research conducted by Dreamcatcher – including a policy review, two stakeholder engagement workshops, and 339 household and business surveys. Key priorities included addressing data gaps, finding solutions for organic waste, increasing recycling participation and behaviour change. During 2024/25 we worked with collaborative partners to implement these actions.
📊 Collaborated with Henque Waste, the local recycling service provider, to conduct the most comprehensive data collection to date on recycling behaviour in Stilbaai and Melkhoutfontein. This involved monitoring over 3,500 households plus businesses to inform future engagement and behaviour change initiatives.
🌱 With organic waste to be banned from landfill sites in the Western Cape Province by 2027, addressing this waste was identified as a priority. In early 2024, we procured and facilitated a shipment of Green Johanna composting units from the UK and made them available for residents to purchase and some have been sponsored for distribution. Our extensive research since 2010 has shown that these units—designed to handle almost all food waste (including meat, fish, and processed food), garden waste, and paper—are well suited to South African conditions. All our tourism enterprises are leading the way in the region composting their organic waste to grow food. We are measuring the impact of Green Johannas on diverting waste from landfill – Watch out for a follow-up post!.
📝 Contributed detailed waste feedback to municipal plans and budgets, and prepared briefing notes evaluating options for establishing swop shops, composting sites, and volunteer programmes.
🌍 Our founder, Anthea, shared this work at the International Solid Waste Association Annual Conference 2024 in Cape Town.
We acknowledge the dedication of SMJ Community Waste Working Group members, Henque Waste, Stilbaai Coastal CleanUp, Anti-Mors Jors, and Goukou Waste Warriors, who are leading action locally.
We are also blessed to be supported by Dr. Ryan Woodard, a global waste expert who has collaborated with us since 2010. Recently commissioned by the UK’s Chartered Institution of Wastes Management to author their annual Presidential Report – launched at the House of Commons in July – in the report Dr. Woodard even highlighted the Stilbaai Shell Middens as early examples of humanity’s relationship with waste.
✨ At Dreamcatcher South Africa NPC, we believe waste is not just a problem – it’s an opportunity. Together, we can protect our environment, improve community wellbeing, and transform tourism into a force for good.
