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That old and damaged electric iron you have safely tucked in your cupboard could be killing your family.
This was a startling revelation made by forestry, fisheries and environment deputy minister Bernice Swarts to communities in Mthatha on Wednesday.
Swarts officially launched an e-waste collection and recycling pilot in Mthatha’s oldest township of Ngangelizwe.
She said the initiative represented a practical and timely intervention towards strengthening waste management, protecting the environment and unlocking local economic opportunities in the Eastern Cape.
“If you sell your old electronics for some cash, you not only make a profit for yourself, you are helping the environment,” she said.
The Rotary Stadium resembled a jumble sale on the day as scores of residents from nearby townships came in droves armed with old stoves, refrigerators, electrical kettles and irons, broken microwaves and other disused electronics which they were able to sell off.
Some conceded they had kept the damaged electrical equipment for years without knowing whether to fix it or discard it.
Among those was an unemployed Waterfall resident who brought in an old television set and fridge.
“This recycling initiative is heaven sent,” she said. “I don’t work and I have kept these old things at home for more than three years, though they no longer work.
“I am excited that I can get money for them.”
Ngangelizwe resident and mother Noluvo Mtima said the revelation by the deputy minister about the dangers of keeping electronics that no longer worked had been lost on her until the minister spoke to the people on Wednesday.
She also had no idea that someone could sell them and make money.
“Imagine, I’ve kept all these things at home,” she said. “To be honest we never knew that many of them may carry dangerous chemicals that can harm us.”
Vathiswa Marasha said many township people opted to illegally dump waste in open spaces and even though the municipality often cleaned up, the dumping sites came back to life in no time.
In 2024, King Sabata Dalindyebo local municipality mayor Nyaniso Nelani sent a warning to residents in Mthatha, saying clearing illegal dumping zones was proving costly to the municipality.
He said they were also worried they could potentially lead to the rise of serious diseases if not nipped in the bud.
Community services portfolio head Zihlwele Nyengane warned that waste carelessly disposed of in open spaces was contributing to the degradation of the environment and possibly increased global warming.
On Wednesday, Swarts said about 300,000 tonnes of electronic waste was generated in the country every year but only 10% of it was properly stored and disposed of.
She said people often kept old TV sets, fridges, microwaves and even electrical children’s toys long after they no longer worked.
“These old electronics have lead and mercury in them that make people sick,” she said.
She brought gifts of fruit trees which she handed to traditional leaders for planting.
She said the trees formed part of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s programme to plant a billion trees across South Africa.
About 60% would be fruit trees and 40% indigenous trees.
The KSD municipality has been among local councils battling the scourge of illegal dumping over the years.
But Nelani, who joined Swarts on Wednesday, claimed the municipality had finally turned the corner in terms of raising awareness and educating people on the effects of illegal dumping.
“Programmes like this one are adding to efforts to drive home the message that the responsibility of fighting pollution and illegal dumping in our spaces does not rest only with government.
“It includes the private sector, communities and government,” Nelani said.
Neighbouring Nyandeni Local Municipality mayor Viwe Ndamase, who joined proceedings on Wednesday, said though not much e-waste was generated by people in his municipality, illegal dumping continued to be a problem, particularly from rental flats along the R61 and N2 outside Mthatha.
Nyandeni had the second-best-run transfer stations in the province in the form of well-run landfill sites, he said.
Swarts said e-waste was one of the fastest-growing revenue streams globally.
She said her department wanted to see buy-back centres for e-waste established in local communities, with help from her department to make sure they were compliant with legislation.
The increasing use of electrical and electronic equipment had resulted in large volumes of discarded devices, many of which contained hazardous substances that posed serious risks to human health and the environment if not managed well.
SA generates more than 360,000 tonnes of e-waste annually, yet only a small proportion is formally recycled.
The prohibition of e-waste disposal to landfills, together with the introduction of extended producer responsibility regulations, reflected the government’s clear intent to divert this waste into increasing reuse, recycling and recovery.
“In the Eastern Cape, and particularly in municipalities such as King Sabata Dalindyebo, waste management challenges are compounded by limited infrastructure and waste minimisation initiatives, and low levels of public awareness around e-waste recycling,” Swarts said.
“This project responds directly to these realities by establishing accessible collection systems while strengthening community participation and accountability.
“In the 2024/2025 financial year, the department commenced with the launch of an e-waste collection as part of EPR implementation to ensure collection and safe recycling of e-waste across the country.
“This was first launched in Mpumalanga, in Bushbuckridge and Nkomazi.
“This work continued in Rustenburg and Madibeng in the North West under the Bojanala District Municipality, followed by Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni in Gauteng.”
Daily Dispatch