Innovative solution transforms Thembisa’s organic waste
The machine, capable of converting organic waste into compost within 24 hours, was handed over to the Thembisa Self-Help Association for the Disabled (T-SHAD) late last year.

By introducing a ground-breaking rapid composter, Thembisa has taken a major step forward in tackling its organic waste management challenges.
The machine, capable of converting organic waste into compost within 24 hours, was handed over to the Thembisa Self-Help Association for the Disabled (T-SHAD) late last year.
The project, led by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Compostable Plastics Council of South Africa, and Clean City SA, emerged as a winner of the Sebenzisa Thembisa Waste Challenge.
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This initiative, run by Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa, sought to bridge the gap between academic research and community-driven solutions to address South Africa’s waste crisis.
In South Africa, organic waste comprises nearly 40% of all waste, much of which ends in landfills, contributing to pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
Thembisa’s rapid population growth, urbanisation, and industrialisation have exacerbated waste management challenges.
The newly implemented rapid composter uses heat and microorganisms to break down organic waste, including animal, human, and commercial waste, into nutrient-rich compost in one day.
The compost can enrich local food gardens, support nutrition initiatives, or generate income by selling it as a valuable agricultural resource.
“This technology represents a leap forward for communities like Thembisa, where existing waste management systems often fall short,” said CSIR principal researcher, Dr Sudhakar Muniyasamy.
“Instead of organic waste rotting in landfills and producing harmful emissions, this rapid composter offers a sustainable alternative.”
The partnership with T-SHAD was a natural choice for the pilot project.
As a community-based development programme with existing recycling infrastructure and vegetable gardens, T-SHAD collaborated with CleanCity SA and the CSIR to address the local waste challenges.
Dalu Cele, founder and CEO of CleanCity SA, highlighted the project’s alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 12 and 13, responsible consumption and production, and climate action.
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“The composter not only reduces waste but also supports circular economies by turning organic material into a valuable product,” he said.
Following its successful implementation in Thembisa, the CSIR and CleanCity SA plan to expand the rapid composter initiative to other communities across South Africa.
They are actively seeking additional partners to scale the project.
“By reducing landfill waste and providing practical solutions for communities to repurpose organic material, initiatives like this rapid composter project address urgent sustainability challenges while empowering local communities,” said Alana Kruger, country manager for Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa.
As T-SHAD integrates this technology, it is a model of how innovation and grassroots action can combine to create a cleaner, greener future one community at a time.