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Water Stewardship for Economic Resilience – Updates from the Collaboration in Rosslyn

Written by Johanna Lübbers on . Posted in Countries, South Africa.

In South Africa, the NatuReS programme continues to drive efforts to establish a stewardship multi-stakeholder partnership (SMSP) for the Rosslyn Industrial Area (RIA). SMSPs are participatory formats in which the public sector, private sector and civil society develop joint solutions for more sustainable management and use of natural resources. In this context, NatuReS supports the ongoing work in the Rosslyn Improvement District (RID) led by the Capital City Business Chamber (CCBC) towards a more sustainable way of production and improved water efficiency. The goal for the RIA is heading towards an Eco-Industrial Park (EIP) approach. Rosslyn is located in the northern part of the City of Tshwane (Pretoria) and is home to major industries including a concentration of automotive industries and large companies such as BMW, Nissan, South African Breweries, Renault, TATA, and Nampak. More than 200 businesses operate from here and provide employment to more than 20,000 workers.

GITEC consultant and NatuReS team observing a company’s onsite water treatment plant and effluent process flow. ©GIZ

Assessing the state of water metering

To support measures for improved water security in the RIA, NatuReS contracted the consultancy GITEC, which specialises in digital water and wastewater measurement as well as water resource efficiency. For a week in early August, the partners went on several site visits to discuss solutions for the state of water and wastewater metering and the potential for more resource efficient ways of production. The engagements included the City of Tshwane Municipality as well as nine medium, large, and multinational companies from several sectors active in the RIA, such as automotive, leather processing, packaging, train maintenance, beverages, and feed production.

The City of Tshwane expressed their interest in collaborating around the digitisation of meters for water supply as well as wastewater discharge quality. Since so far, the reading of meters and the assessment of effluent quality happens manually, which is labour-intensive, costly, and time-consuming. On the companies’ side, all meter their water supply and treat it, if necessary, before discharging to the municipal sewer system. While some companies already use digital equipment to assess their water consumption, some expressed interest in adopting such technology.

Assessing water meters in the RIA, left a company’s on-site meter and right a municipal meter. ©GIZ

Wastewater reuse as significant potential for Rosslyn

Beyond metering, all companies are very keen to explore opportunities for water reuse, both internally and with other businesses in the area. Given the magnitude of industrial demand, economically feasible reuse schemes could yield substantial benefits for reliability, cost control, and environmental performance. For example, one company’s treated wastewater could become the process water of another company and does not necessarily need to be of potable quality. This same concept could also be explored for water used for heating and cooling.

This appetite for collaboration illustrates the growing interest in industrial symbiosis, a form of industrial ecology where companies collaborate to exchange resources like materials, energy, and water to reduce waste and improve efficiency. Therefore, NatuReS together with the CCBC, is planning to organise a workshop for interested companies to strategically discuss these topics and develop joint projects.

On-site water treatment plant of a company located in the RIA. ©GIZ

Water security – a question of economic stability for South Africa

These local-level efforts are particularly important as South Africa faces significant and interlinked natural resource pressures that threaten long-term economic stability and social cohesion. Water, in particular, has emerged as one of the most critical pressure points. Climate change, ageing infrastructure, and mounting demand from both industry and growing urban populations are further exacerbating the already chronic water stress.

Especially the Gauteng Province, home to the administrative capital of Pretoria and the economic capital of Johannesburg, is projected to face serious challenges in the future due to limited water sources and a rapidly growing population. Concurrently, the province is the economic engine of the country contributing to over 34% of South Africa’s total GDP, and accounting for nearly 7% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP. Therefore, ensuring long-term water security is crucial to maintaining this status.

Partnerships to align industrial growth with responsible resource management

These implications have also been understood in Rosslyn, where the seeds of collaboration are already being planted. By bringing businesses, government, and civil society to the same table, the SMSP approach is proving that sustainable water security and industrial competitiveness are not opposing, but mutually reinforcing goals. Building on work happening in the East London IDZ, Rosslyn can demonstrate how South Africa’s economic hubs can successfully align industrial growth with responsible resource management. It is a powerful reminder that a Just Transition is not only possible, but achievable when we act together.

Stewardship for a Just Transition in Economic Zones: Preparations for a New Partnership in the Rosslyn Industrial Area, South Africa

Written by Johanna Lübbers on . Posted in Countries, South Africa.

The scarcity of natural resources harbours considerable risks and potential for conflict. In South Africa, large parts of the country are affected by high water stress according to the FAO Aquastat Index. Resources are also often polluted and can therefore only be used to a limited extent. Resource pressure on soil and water from individual economic zones, i.e. industrial parks, special economic zones and export zones or other areas with increased economic activity, is particularly problematic. This concentration leads to the creation of localised hotspots of economic activity with the potential for extreme environmental damage. At the same time, this also presents an opportunity to establish resource-conserving economic practices on a large scale in order to prevent future damage and conflicts.

Our Solution: Stewardship Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships

Against this backdrop, the Natural Resources Stewardship Programme (NatuReS) aims to establish the Stewardship Multi-Stakeholder Partnership (SMSP) approach as an instrument for consensus-building processes for Just Transition in selected economic zones with extreme resource use pressure in South Africa. SMSPs are participatory formats in which the public sector, private sector and civil society work together to develop joint solutions for more sustainable management and use of natural resources.

Bringing Stakeholders in the Rosslyn Industrial Area Together 

NatuReS  is supporting the establishment of a SMSP in the Rosslyn Industrial Area (RIA) together with the Capital City Business Chamber (CCBC) in the City of Tshwane (Pretoria), South Africa. The RIA is located in the northern part of the City of Tshwane and is home to major industries including a concentration of automotive industry and large companies including BMW, Nissan, SAB, Renault, TATA, and Nampak. More than 200 businesses operate from Rosslyn and provide employment to more than 20,000 workers.

Rosslyn Industrial Area (RIA). (© RIA)

To inform the partnership formation, NatuReS has appointed Digby Wells Environmental to undertake a stakeholder analysis and mapping as well as a natural resources risk and opportunity assessment for the RIA. The risk analysis shall inform strategies for better governance, resource management and collaboration across stakeholders. For this, three focus group discussions were conducted in April 2025 with 14 key stakeholders from companies operating in the area. These included BMW, Nissan, Nampak Bevcan, South African Breweries (SAB), MA Automotive, Traxation, Berry Astrapak Marcom Plastics, Pioneer Plastics, Neopak, Sovereign Foods, Blue Pointer Steel, and Bader Leather.

Risks and Opportunities for the Management of Natural Resources in the RIA

The focus group discussions served to engage the stakeholders in a structured dialogue to gather insights, assess risks, identify opportunities and understand perceptions regarding the use and management of natural resources (water, soil, wetlands, land use) within the RIA. Specifically, they aimed to: 

  • Understand the risks and opportunities that stakeholders face related to natural resource use and management. 
  • Identify current challenges in collaboration and governance related to resource use. 
  • Generate recommendations for effective risk mitigation strategies and management practices. 
  • Ensure inclusivity and recognise the diverse needs of stakeholders, including marginalised or vulnerable groups. 

In the discussions it quickly became apparent that water is a key issue for the companies, as they are highly reliant on a steady supply of water in large quantities. Issues included leakages, low water pressure, interrupted supply, and water quality, as well as blocked drainages and subsequent flooding during heavy rains, illegal oil dumping by other companies, as well as illegally deposed waste in general. However, participants also discussed ideas for industrial symbiosis (e.g. reuse/recycling of wastewater, paper waste, plastics, etc.) as well as the potential of ground water use and how business can support the municipality to address the issues at hand.

Rosslyn stakeholder engagement and risk assessment workshop. (© GIZ)

Next Steps for the Partnership Formation

These findings will be thoroughly analysed and used to develop a comprehensive risk analysis and mitigation action plan, informed by the diverse perspectives of the key stakeholders. In a subsequent meeting, this will help stakeholders to develop joint solutions for a more sustainable use and management of natural resources and enhance resilience in the region. This shall then inform the establishment of a SMSP for the RIA.

Map of Rosslyn: RIA is made up of zones 1, 2, 3, 4 and New Development; together with Klerksoord Industrial Area (Zone 5) it forms the wider Rosslyn Improvement District (RID). (© RIA)

Water security for all in the uMhlathuze catchment

Written by a.linke on . Posted in Countries, South Africa.

The uMhlathuze catchment in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal region faces critical water security challenges, encompassing both quantity and quality issues. These challenges are closely tied to land use activities such as mining, agriculture, and industry, which put significant pressure on water resources. Unregulated overuse further exacerbates the situation, compounded by the impacts of climate change.

The severity of these issues became even more evident during the 2016 drought, which severely reduced water availability in the catchment. The drought had a profound impact on the Goedertrouw Dam, a vital water source for the uMhlathuze region, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable water management practices.

The Goedertrouw Dam in the uMhlathuzte Catchment. © Jasper Anhede

UWASP: A Collaborative Effort to Strengthen Water Security in the uMhlathuze Region

This led to the creation of the uMhlathuze Water Stewardship Partnership (UWASP), established to tackle water security challenges in the uMhlathuze region. The partnership focuses on improving water management and availability through collaborative resource management while enhancing livelihoods through strategic climate adaptation initiatives.

UWASP was formed by key stakeholders, including GIZ’s International Water Stewardship Programme (IWaSP)—now the Natural Resources Stewardship Programme (NatuReS)—alongside the National Business Initiative (NBI), Strategic Water Partners Network (SWPN), and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Prominent local businesses such as Tongaat Hulett, Mondi South Africa, Grindrod, Transnet, and Richards Bay Minerals, as well as government entities like the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and the Pongola-uMzimkhulu Proto-Catchment Management Agency, also played an integral role in its formation.

By unlocking the value of water, the partnership delivers social, economic, and environmental benefits. The partnership´s vision is an “effectively managed uMhlathuze catchment that supports water security for all”. To realize this vision, UWASP adopts a collaborative and inclusive approach, fostering consensus among stakeholders to develop shared solutions and actionable strategies to address critical water resource challenges.

Building Climate Resilience in the uMhlathuze Catchment

The UWASP is advancing a five-year strategy (2024 –2029) to strengthen climate resilience in the catchment by enhancing water governance, improving service delivery, and fostering green economy skills. Key focus areas of the strategy include :

  • Enhancing the management of the freshwater coastal lakes and surface water dams that provide for the needs of uMhlathuze’s population.
  • Supporting water use efficiency and reducing water loss amongst downstream users.
  • Facilitating agricultural water stewardship and irrigation efficiency.
  • Securing ecological infrastructure through invasive species clearing and wetland rehabilitation.
  • Developing community water-related champions, entrepreneurs and micro enterprises.

To support these efforts, NatuReS, WWF, and NBI partnered with GroundTruth to conduct a scoping study to assess the feasibility of grey-green infrastructure project interventions to address water security challenges in the uMhlathuze catchment. The project aimed to contribute to the overall strategic vision and the five-year focus areas of UWASP by increasing the climate resilience of the uMhlathuze catchment to water-related climate change impacts, whilst addressing environmental and socio-economic development challenges in the catchment. Therefore, the scoping study evaluated the financial, social, economic and ecological feasibility of grey-green infrastructure interventions in the uMhlathuze catchment areas.

Proposed Grey-Green Interventions: Key Outcomes of the Study

Melmoth Dams: Melmoth Dams are a key water supply for the eMthonjaneni area for domestic and industrial use. The following interventions were proposed to improve the water quality and quantity of downstream users in the catchment; (i) the removal of the problematic bush encroachment, Invasive Alien Plants removal, (ii) improved buffer zone management and (iii) re-vegetation of indigenous trees/vegetation.

Nkandla Landfill Site and Cemetery: The ‘Inkandla Landfill Site’ is located in the Nkandla local Municipality and includes the landfill and the wastewater treatment ponds. The following interventions were proposed as measures to preserve the health of the Goedertrouw dam; (i) enhancement of the existing wastewater treatment facility and (ii) enhancement of ecosystem services within the receiving freshwater ecosystem

Empangeni Catchment Management: This site focuses on the Mpangeni, Niwe and Ndabayakhe Lake, which flow directly into the uMhlathuze River. These lakes provide key ecosystem services for the Empangeni catchment including flood attenuation, sediment trapping and water for domestic use. The proposed interventions include (i) sustainable management of agricultural activities around the lake,(ii) management of inflow streams into the lakes through  litter booms and sediment fences in upstream channels, and (iii) freshwater management which can include clearing of invasive alien plants  and improving stormwater management.

Integrating Green Infrastructure for a Just and Inclusive Future

© Jasper Anhede

In addition to enhancing ecological outcomes, these interventions also tackle socio-economic challenges, contributing to a broader socio-ecological transformation. This transformation embodies a shift toward harmonizing economic development with social and environmental goals, exemplified by the expansion of the green economy and the growing emphasis on integrating green infrastructure with traditional grey infrastructure.

Harnessing the benefits of green infrastructure also plays a key role in supporting a Just Transition, i.e. greening the economy in a way that is equitable, inclusive and just for all actors of society. For the identified sites this could, for instance:

  • Socio-economic opportunities for surrounding local communities: The surrounding communities are characterised by high poverty levels and high levels of unemployment. Creating opportunities in the restoration economy (e.g. alien invasive clearing, management of bush encroachment, and rehabilitation of wetlands) will create new socio-economic benefits including for example job creation and capacity development, especially for the most vulnerable groups of society.
  • Social security – Strengthening the resilience of communities, particularly vulnerable groups in low income and informal settlement, through the creation of income generation opportunities and capacity building.
  • Climate adaption and resilience – Restoration of the wetland ecosystems will improve water security for downstream water users, and enhance water supply for everyone, especially for vulnerable groups. It will also enhance the flood attenuation capacity upstream, which will help to buffer the settlements from floods.
  • Sustainable urban development – Enhancing the functioning of ecosystems in the catchment will introduce a level of holistic development by harnessing green and grey infrastructure, which could become an opportunity for the municipalities to replicate and up-scale

What´s next?

As a next step, these results will now be further unpacked by UWASP to design interventions for these sites and find potential funders for them to support a water secure and socially inclusive future for the uMhlathuze catchment.

Participants of the Sustainable Industries Conference in Pretoria

Sustainable Industries Conference, Pretoria, South Africa: Charting the way for global eco-industrial solutions

Written by a.linke on . Posted in Countries, South Africa.

Global leaders unite at 2024 Sustainable Industries Conference to drive eco-industrial innovation

The 2024 Sustainable Industries Conference held in Pretoria, South Africa, brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and experts from around the world to discuss cutting-edge strategies for creating sustainable and efficient industrial spaces. Hosted by the National Cleaner Production Center – South Africa (NCPC-SA), along with its partners, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the South African Department for Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic), the three-day event showcased the future of industrial efficiency through various Eco-Industrial Park (EIP) related topics.

Participants from various organisations and sectors attended the conference ©LM Photography

A platform for cross-sectoral collaboration, innovation and transformative ideas

The event was part of a larger conference on “Industrial Efficiency and International Eco-Industrial Parks & Areas” by the NCPC-SA. It took place from 11 to 13 September 2024 in Pretoria at the International Convention Centre of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), in conjunction with the NCPC-SA’s biennial conference on industrial efficiency. This was more than a conference – it was a platform for cross-sectoral collaboration, innovation, and transformative ideas. The conference was split across three action-packed days. The first day focused on industrial efficiency at a national level, the second day covered EIP-related topics, culminating in a site visit on the third day to the Rosslyn Industrial Area, in the northern outskirts of Pretoria, which is the production site for major multinational companies such as BMW, Nissan, Tata, South African Breweries and Nampak. Speakers addressed a wide array of topics such as resource efficiency, circularity, digitisation, performance management, localisation and environmental sustainability.

Opening words by Liteboho Makhele, NatuReS Country Coordinator South Africa ©Jonas Kertscher

NatuReS driving the international dialogue on eco-industrial development and Just Transition

As key partners of the conference, the GIZ’s Natural Resources Stewardship Programme (NatuReS), played a pivotal role in broadening the international dialogue on eco-industrial development. NatuReS facilitated the attendance of 18 international delegates, including speakers  from its partner countries Ethiopia, Tanzania and Zambia to share insights, knowledge and experiences on how stewardship multi-stakeholder partnerships are advancing a Just Transition to greener, more sustainable industrial practices, while expanding the network of experts and stakeholders involved in sustainable industrial space activities.

Here are some of the key presentations:

Eng. Miriam Esanju from the Wami Ruvu Basin Water Board in Tanzania, presented on “Improving Environmental Sustainability and Compliance for Special Economic Zones (SEZ) through a Stewardship Multi-Stakeholder Partnership (SMSP).” Her talk highlighted how Tanzania is using collaborative approaches to enhance environmental standards in industrial spaces.

Presentation by Eng. Miriam Esnaju from the Wami Ruvu Basin Water Board, Tanzania ©Jonas Kertscher

Mr. Mergia Kuma, Head of the Environment, Health, and Social Safeguard Department at Ethiopia’s Industrial Park Development Corporation (IPDC), delved into the “Engagement of an Industrial Park with Multiple Stakeholders through the Stewardship Approach.” His case study of Ethiopia’s industrial parks demonstrated the power of cross-sectoral partnerships to drive sustainable development.

Bernd Oellermann of NCPC presented an innovative approach to industrial sustainability with his talk, “Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Industrial Parks – Increasing Sustainability and Resilience of Industrial Spaces.” He shared best practices in operational guidelines that enhance the long-term viability of eco-industrial areas.

In a dual presentation, Dr. Faith Lawrence from the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) in Scotland and Sarah Beerhalter, Head of the GIZ’s NatuReS Programme in Germany, explored the synergies between different sustainability frameworks in their talk, “Eco-Industrial Parks Framework (EIP), Alliance for Water Stewardship Standard (AWS Standard), and the Natural Resources Risk and Action Framework (NRAF).”

Sarah Beerhalter, Head of GIZ´s NatuReS Programme, presenting the Natural Resources Risk and Action Framework (NRAF) ©Jonas Kertscher

Reem Mahmoud Abdel Aziz from GIZ Egypt and Mark Jaeger from GIZ’s Sustainable Industrial Areas Working Group in Germany wrapped up the sessions with “Sustainable Industrial Area Transformation: GIZ Tools and Approaches,” providing a deep dive into practical tools that industries can use to transition toward more sustainable operations.

Video sessions and presentations from the conference can be accessed here.

Building a greener, more sustainable future

To provide the chance for more in-depth exchange between the delegates, the NatuReS programme organised a networking event on the evening of 12 September. This event allowed participants to build on initial discussions held earlier this year at the the 12th Zambian Water Forum and Exhibition (ZAWAFE) which took place on 11 to 13 June 2024 in Lusaka, Zambia, and laid the foundation for cooperation and knowledge sharing between the partners. The event also enabled the partners to deepen their understanding of the stewardship approach and opened up new avenues for the replication of the NatuReS stewardship partnership approach and tools across the different sectors and countries. Building on these discussions, plans are underway for further exchange meetings to take place in Ethiopia and Tanzania in the future, where stakeholders will continue to develop partnerships and share knowledge that can help scale sustainable practices in industrial areas across the continent.

The 2024 Sustainable Industries Conference was more than just a meeting of minds – it was a catalyst for change, offering a blueprint for how countries and industries worldwide can collaborate to build a greener, more sustainable future.