In a resounding demonstration of environmental leadership and service-delivery excellence, the Western Cape Government walked away with eight out of 10 awards at the prestigious National Waste Management Awards, the Overstrand named The Cleanest Municipality in the Province.
This year’s conference was organised on the theme “Waste infrastructure investment towards equitable sustainable waste services”.
The Western Cape’s near-sweep of the awards, eight out of 10 categories, has cemented the province’s reputation as the national front-runner in responsible and innovative waste management.
Western Cape Minister for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, praised those behind the achievement. “The Western Cape’s performance is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our municipalities, officials and stakeholders who continue to drive excellence in waste management and environmental protection.”
He added that the awards reflect the Western Cape Government’s continued commitment to building cleaner, greener and more sustainable communities.
For residents of the Overstrand this national recognition carries special local pride. Overstrand Municipality was recognised as the cleanest municipality in the Western Cape, a back-to-back achievement.
The Mayor, Archie Klaas, was quick to acknowledge the people behind the honour. He noted a massive amount of hard work occurred behind the scenes, congratulating Craig Mitchell and the solid waste teams across Hangklip-Kleinmond, Greater Hermanus, Stanford and Greater Gansbaai.
“This back-to-back victory cemented the municipality’s reputation as a leader in sustainable waste management. We’re thrilled that the teams are getting the recognition they deserve.”
Mitchell, Overstrand’s Senior Engineer for Waste Management, has been at the heart of the municipality’s consistent excellence. His team’s work spans the full breadth of the Overstrand coastline ensuring that residents and visitors alike enjoy clean, well-managed towns and natural spaces. This recognition builds on a long track record of award-winning performance. Overstrand previously claimed top spot in the Western Cape’s Municipal Waste Management Recognition Programme in 2022 and again in 2024, while consistently placing in the top three in intervening years.
Another Overberg success story came from the Swellendam Municipality, whose Bontebok Landfill Site was recognised as the most improved local municipal landfill site in South Africa in terms of operation and management. It is a significant achievement that highlights the impact of sustained investment and dedication at grassroots level.
