A Sunday Times report dated 10 October has renewed scrutiny of South Africa’s waste-tyre system, setting SATMC’s concerns alongside the environment department’s response.
SATMC executive Nduduzo Chala questioned whether levy funding was delivering effective recycling. The DFFE told the publication that about 148,110 tonnes were collected in 2025/26 and almost 65,000 tonnes were processed, reused or recycled.
The department also said levy revenue passes through the national budget rather than transferring automatically in full to the waste-tyre system.
The reporting question
Those are attributed figures, not independently audited SATreads findings. Comparing collection and processing totals alone cannot establish a verified stockpile increase: opening stocks, exports and reporting boundaries also matter.
For the tyre trade, the useful next step is transparent reporting that connects collections, storage and final destinations.
