Insights

We’re carrying on Nelson Mandela’s vision of a circular economy

Details: Published: Friday, 18 July 2025 08:00

Mandela didn’t start the recycling industry. But he did something just as powerful: he laid the foundation for environmental protection in South Africa.

That foundation, set out in the 1996 Constitution, made it possible for businesses like Mpact Recycling and the broader recycling industry to do the work we do today: protecting the environment and supporting livelihoods through recycling.

The 1996 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa

In 1996, South Africa adopted a new Constitution. It was a milestone in our country’s history, laying the foundation for freedom, justice, and human dignity. But it also did something few Constitutions around the world did at the time: it enshrined environmental rights.

Section 24 of the Bill of Rights reads:

“Everyone has the right

to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being; and
to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that:
- prevent pollution and ecological degradation;
- promote conservation; and
- secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while promoting justifiable economic and social development.

This wasn’t a political gesture. It was a legal and moral commitment to sustainability, accountability, and intergenerational equity. And it came directly from the vision and values of Nelson Mandela.

Mandela understood that protecting the environment was part of protecting people.

He recognised that waste, pollution, and poor environmental governance hurt the most vulnerable first and worst. He believed that a just society could not exist without a healthy environment, and that democracy should include access to clean air, safe water, and sustainable land.

This view is validated by contemporary research. In June 2025, the University of Cape Town’s African Climate and Development Initiative emphasised the essential link between human rights and climate action. Their findings showed that communities facing climate change are often the most vulnerable, and that sustainable solutions must both protect the environment and people’s livelihoods.

Mandela appreciated this decades before academia confirmed it. His holistic vision for environmental protection inherently acknowledged that sustainability with social justice is incomplete.

29 years later, anyone can pick up a used cardboard box, or plastic bottle and sell it for cash.

That's because a circular system was built and backed by legislation. The National Environmental Management: Waste Act (NEMWA) is the umbrella law that governs waste management in South Africa. It provides the legal framework for how waste must be managed, placing responsibility not just on government, but on businesses and consumers too. Within NEMWA, Section 18, specifically deals with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). This means that producers such as packaging manufacturers and brand owners are legally required to take responsibility for the end-of-life management of the packaging they put on the market.

Legislation has strengthened the recycling market

South Africa’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws make producers legally responsible for what happens to their packaging after it's been used. This means they must either manage the recycling themselves or work with a Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO), like Fibre Circle or Petco. While recyclables like cardboard, paper, and certain plastics already had value in the market, EPR helps strengthen that value by improving collection systems and ensuring more materials are recovered instead of being sent to landfill. The more we separate and recycle these materials, the better they can support a thriving circular economy.

Recycling creates income opportunities, businesses, and possibility.

As of 2023 there are around 300 registered recycling operations in South Africa, ranging from buy-back centres and collection services, to large scale processors and recyclers. Supporting these businesses are thousands of waste collectors. Estimates suggest up to 90,000 people earning a living through selling recyclables. That’s the legacy of a system Mandela helped make possible: one where waste has value, and where protecting the environment also means supporting livelihoods.

To celebrate Nelson Mandela Day, let’s acknowledge the opportunities of our constitution and make the most of them. They are all around us.

Celebrate Nelson Mandela Day by protecting the environment

This Mandela Day, we’re reminded that opportunities are all around us and that we all have a role to play in building a more sustainable future.

We don’t need to change the world all at once. We can start small, right where we are:

As a consumer: start by separating recyclable packaging from general waste.

Clean and dry materials like cardboard, paper, and plastic bottles can be collected and sold to any Mpact Recycling branch or dealer. It’s one of the easiest ways of keeping recyclables out of landfill and in the circular economy.

See Mpact Recycling’s waste classification guide to see what packaging is accepted at our branches.

Learn how easy it is to separate and recycle with Petco Producer Responsibility Organisation’s YouTube docu-series, Unpacked.
As an entrepreneur: start a recycling business

If you’re looking to start a career in recycling, consider opening a buy-back centre or collection business or dealer. You can contact Producer Responsibility Organisations like Petco, Fibre Circle, Polyco and more, and they can assist with training, equipment and financial support to kick-start your business.

29 years ago, Nelson Mandela laid out the foundation in the Constitution. Today, we’ve turned those words into action, creating opportunities, protecting the environment, and building a more inclusive and circular economy through recycling. We believe he would be proud of what has been achieved, and of how South Africa continues to move towards a circular economy that leaves