Don't leave recyclers on the scrapheap Minister Tau

IN A WEEK where Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, signalled a strategic pivot in South Africa’s trade posture toward the United States, something extraordinary happened. Amid the headlines about $3.3 billion in pledged outbound investments and renewed commitments under Agoa, one detail passed quietly: Minister Tau specifically cited metal recycling as a pillar of the proposed framework.

- NANCY STRACHAN

For those of us in the recycling industry, and for the hundreds of thousands who make their living scavenging, sorting and selling scrap, this was not just a diplomatic aside, it was recognition long overdue.

The Recycling Association of South Africa (RASA) welcomes the Minister’s leadership and vision. The inclusion of metals recycling as a focus for joint ventures under the new US engagement strategy affirms what many of us have long argued: that this industry is not peripheral, but central to sustainable development, industrial competitiveness and poverty alleviation.

Globally, metals recycling is part of the engine room of the circular economy. It diverts waste from landfills, reduces carbon emissions, and supplies critical inputs for green industries, from electric vehicles to solar panels. It is also labour-intensive, creates jobs, attracts investment, and innovates. That Minister Tau sees this is encouraging.

For more than a decade, South Africa’s scrap metal policies have prioritised steel mini-mills at the expense of the recyclers who collect, process and trade scrap. Introduced in 2013, the Price Preference System (PPS) mandates that scrap metal be sold locally at prices up to 30% below export parity. Export bans and taxes have compounded the suppression.