Only 23% \u2013 that is, three out of the 13 landfill sites and transfer stations audited this year in the country\u2019s most densely populated province as part of AfriForum\u2019s annual landfill audit \u2013 meet the minimum requirements for responsible waste management. However, the success of these three sites (the Roodepoort Landfill and the Libanon Landfill in Westonaria, within the Rand West City Local Municipality, as well as the privately managed Tonkmeter facility in Springs) is overshadowed by the poor performance of other landfill sites in the province.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Furthermore, AfriForum\u2019s landfill audit report indicates that sites in Gauteng achieved an average compliance score of only 64% this year \u2013 20 percentage points lower than in 2025. Only the Western Cape, with an average compliance score of 66%, performed better than Gauteng this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This year, AfriForum audited 132 landfill sites and transfer stations across all nine provinces; however, only 30 sites (or 23% of the total) met at least 80% of the audit requirements. This suggests that, on average, approximately eight out of every ten sites nationwide exhibit serious shortcomings in infrastructure, operational management, or compliance with basic requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to AfriForum\u2019s landfill audit report, which has just been released, sites in the Ekurhuleni and Tshwane metros performed particularly poorly. None of the five sites audited in the Ekurhuleni Metro, nor any of the four operational sites in the Tshwane Metro, managed to pass this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Furthermore, three sites in the Tshwane metro \u2013 namely the Hatherley, Soshanguve, and Bronkhorstspruit sites \u2013 achieved a significantly lower audit score than last year. These three sites also performed 46%, 36%, and 51% worse, respectively, than they did just five years ago. This notable deterioration points to a concerning and ongoing decline in compliance with the minimum requirements for refuse sites within this Metro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the Ekurhuleni Metro, home to approximately 4,1 million people, five sites were audited: the Alberton transfer station, the Weltevreden Park site in Brakpan, the Simmer & Jack site in Germiston, and the Highveld and Norkem Park transfer stations in Kempton Park. Collectively, these five sites achieved an average compliance score of only 59% (a marginally better result than the 54% average managed by the four sites in the Tshwane Metro).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yvonne Gerber, AfriForum\u2019s Regional Coordinator for the East Rand, states that the poor performance of landfill sites in the Ekurhuleni Metro leaves much to be desired. \u201cFor a metro that has to serve millions of people, effective waste management is non-negotiable, and the Ekurhuleni Metro will need to step up its game to address existing challenges \u2013 particularly regarding safety and capacity,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gerber further argues that population growth within this Metro makes the need for improved waste management even more urgent. \u201cThe Ekurhuleni Metro\u2019s own spatial development framework, released earlier this year, indicates that the Metro will house approximately 4,8 million people by 2030, with the population expected to rise to 5,4 million by 2040. This growth highlights that more and better landfill sites, as well as an accelerated approach to recycling, are becoming essential,\u201d she concludes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
AfriForum\u2019s Regional Coordinator in the Tshwane Metro, Maree van den Berg, maintains that the deterioration of landfill sites in this Metro highlights that service delivery \u2013 specifically regarding waste management \u2013 has reached a new low. \u201cThe Metro is well aware of the waste management challenges facing this capital. Issues concerning capacity, low recycling rates, and illegal dumping are just a few of the many challenges. Furthermore, the four remaining landfill sites in the Metro have a combined average remaining lifespan of just over six years; as the Metro\u2019s population continues to grow, this pressure will only intensify. There is no longer time for excuses \u2013 the Metro\u2019s poor performance in this audit indicates that a disaster is looming. Once the inevitable occurs and the existing sites reach full capacity, it will no longer be possible to avert this disaster,\u201d concludes Van den Berg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n