Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts opens Waste Khoro Conference in Bloemfontein, 18 Mar

The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Bernice Swarts, will on Wednesday, 18 March 2026 open the Department’s Waste Khoro Conference in Bloemfontein, Free State. The three-day conference is an annual event organised and coordinated by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), where waste management officers from the three spheres of government, as well as representatives from the private sector, convene to discuss key issues relating to waste management in South Africa.

The conference will focus on several waste management priorities, including addressing the growing crisis of landfill space in the country. South African cities are facing a significant landfill capacity challenge, with some expected to run out of landfill space within the next six years if drastic measures are not taken to significantly reduce waste generation and accelerate recycling efforts.

According to the State of Waste Report 2018, South Africa generated 55 million tonnes of waste in 2017, much of which was disposed of at landfill sites. Municipal waste accounts for 8.7% of the total waste volume, while general organic waste accounts for 34.6%.

Additionally, the General Household Survey 2023 indicates that only 10% of the country’s waste is recycled. Uncollected and poorly managed waste contributes to flooding, land contamination, and air and water pollution, which can have serious public health implications.

The Department has developed several strategies, including the National Waste Management Strategy (2020), which highlights the importance of sustainable waste management practices and promotes a circular economy. The strategy aims to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste in order to protect the environment. The conference will also assess progress made in implementing this strategy.

In addition, the conference will deliberate on various waste management priorities, including:

• Sound landfill management and alternative waste treatment options
• Building and implementing a sustainable circular economy within the sector 
• Successes and challenges in implementing the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations within the sector
• Economic opportunities within the waste management sector, including job creation and support for small and emerging businesses
• Attracting foreign and domestic investment into the sector
• The role of government’s District Development Model (DDM) within the waste management sector
• Policy and legislative developments within the waste management sector
• Deliberations on various waste management challenges affecting local government and communities across South Africa

The conference will take place under the theme: “Waste Infrastructure Investment Towards an Equitable and Sustainable Future.” The event will bring together key stakeholders from across the waste management sector, including industry representatives, academia, civil society organisations, waste practitioners and professionals, as well as senior government leaders from all three spheres of government who play a role in waste management.

As part of the conference, Deputy Minister Swarts will also lead site visits to various waste management projects in the city (Bloemfontein). These include:

• E-waste Facility, Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein
• Waste Recycling Centre, Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, Bloemfontein

Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the conference as follows:

DAY 1 –  Opening of the conference
Date: Wednesday, 18 March 2026
Venue: President Hotel, Bloemfontein, Mangaung
Time: 10h00

DAY 2 – Conference proceedings
Date: Thursday, 19 March 2026
Venue: President Hotel, Bloemfontein, Mangaung
Time: 10h00

DAY 3 – Closing of the conference
Date: Friday, 20 March 2026
Venue: President Hotel, Bloemfontein, Mangaung
Time: 09h00

To RSVP, please contact Michael Mokoena 082 867 5634 / mmokoena@dffe.gov.za or Banele Mabena 066 420 0144 / smabena@dffe.gov.za

For media enquiries, please contact:

Zolile Nqayi 
Cell: 082 898 6483 
E-mail: znqayi@dffe.go.za  

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