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

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.

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.