A Claremont-based organisation has reached the finals of this year’s Eco-Logic Awards through its Waste to Wonder project.

Uthando (Love) South Africa, based in Harfield Village, is a finalist in the Circular Economy and Waste Innovation category.

Now in their 15th year, the awards recognise individuals and organisations driving positive environmental change.

Furthermore, comedian Themba Robin will host the ceremony at the Two Oceans Aquarium on Monday 5 October, which is World Habitat Day.

“What has always made the Eco-Logic Awards unique is that they celebrate people who see environmental challenges not as obstacles, but as opportunities to innovate, collaborate and create meaningful change,” said David Parry-Davies, founder of the awards and editor of The Enviropaedia.

FoodForward SA and the UTTE Circular Construction Urban Systems Initiative are the other finalists in the category.

From tyres to classrooms

James Fernie, founding director of Uthando, started the organisation in 2007. He also chairs the Harfield Village Association (HVA).

The Waste to Wonder project uses discarded tyres, eco-bricks and glass bottles to build community spaces. Specifically, to make eco-bricks, people pack plastic bottles tightly with non-biodegradable waste, creating solid building blocks.

Fernie said the campaign began in 2018 after he met the Natural Building Collective. Uthando now partners with the collective on its building projects.

“The buildings are about regeneration and addressing all of the most critical challenges in South Africa,” he said.

For example, together with partners and donors, Uthando built Ulwazi Educare in Delft. The early childhood development centre used more than 1 800 recycled tyres and over 4 000 eco-bricks.

How the Waste to Wonder building method works

Workers collect thousands of discarded tyres at a Cape Town depot and repurpose them. They then hand-ram each tyre with recycled building rubble and compact it to about 200kg. This forms a solid building element.

“These are not informal or experimental structures,” said Fernie. “Every project is undertaken with experienced natural-building specialists and follows the necessary professional building and approval processes.”

In fact, the tyre-building system recently passed fire testing, the first of its kind for this construction method. The test showed that waste materials can form safe, resilient buildings.

Goal50 and Pitches for Peace

Uthando is building its Goal50 EduHub in Heideveld in three phases. About 25 unemployed Heideveld residents worked on Phase 1, which took 12 months. Phase 2 took another 12 months. Meanwhile, Phase 3 should take just over a year, with the complex finishing by August or September next year.

Notably, Phase 1 alone created about 25 construction jobs and five permanent teacher positions. In addition, teachers in Heideveld train in the Montessori curriculum.

Similarly, through its Pitches for Peace programme, Uthando has built six five-a-side football pitches at Cape Town schools. These include Woodlands, Blomvlei, Belmor, Athwood and Vanguard Primary. Each pitch uses 200 tyres, with 200kg of upcycled building rubble in each one. Amazeballs donated upcycled padel court turf for the pitches, which also display bright colours and messages of peace, hope and love.

In June, a community partner also ran a Mini World Cup connecting the Hanover Park schools with pitches.

Moreover, South Africa discards roughly 13 million tyres each year, according to Uthando. Many end up in illegal dumps or burn.

Earthshot Prize nomination

Uthando has also earned a nomination for the 2026 Earthshot Prize, founded by Prince William. The global award is worth £1 million (nearly R22m). Uthando features in the “Build a Waste-Free World” category.

“Being named an Eco-Logic Awards finalist is a tremendous validation of what our Waste to Wonder campaign represents,” said Fernie. “It recognises that environmental action can go far beyond simply removing waste.”

He said an Earthshot win “would belong to every person who has helped make Waste to Wonder possible every community member, all the builders, the educators, partners, donors and volunteers.”

Looking ahead, three priorities dominate Uthando’s plans for the coming year. These are completing Goal50, supporting the Moya WeKhaya AgriHub in Khayelitsha, and building a sports precinct in Hanover Park.

In particular, the Moya WeKhaya project will support thousands of micro-farmers across Cape Town. It will give them infrastructure to grow and distribute food more effectively.

Supporters can contribute at uthandosa.org/waste-to-wonder-campaign.

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