Gqeberha, South Africa, 19 September 2025 – In honour of International Coastal Clean Up Day, Coega hosted its 4th Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Coastal Clean Up today under the theme “Sea the Change”. The 2-hour clean up took place along the Zone 10 beachfront, where employees and stakeholders, including representatives from Noziqhamo Recycling, collected 180 kilograms of debris and waste.
Mr. Sisa Xabanisa, Coega Environmental Manager, explained how the consistency of the annual event reflects Coega’s commitment to coastal conservation: “For 4 consecutive years, Coega has supported the International Coastal Clean Up campaign, demonstrating our commitment to environmental stewardship. Each year, the initiative focuses on raising awareness about marine pollution and preserving coastal ecosystems. Without a healthy environment, attracting investment to the SEZ would be pointless from the perspective of sustainable development.
What makes this year’s initiative a bit different is that we are now initiating ESG performance tracking, and we have partnered with Noziqhamo Recycling to create a waste value chain, diverting waste away from landfill and towards reclaiming, upcycling and recycling,” said Xabanisa.
The Coega SEZ Coastal Clean Up event is a tangible demonstration of the organisation’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and is informed by Coega’s Integrated Waste Management Plan, which focuses on waste reduction, recycling, and volunteerism to build a more sustainable future.
Ms. Nosipho Mayinge, Noziqhamo Recycling representative, expressed the significance of supporting the initiative. “Through initiatives like Coega’s Coastal Clean Up, we can upcycle waste and debris into items of economic value. We create arts and crafts that can be sold. Events like this also expose our team to different types of waste material that can be recycled and upcycled.” The waste and debris collected was meticulously sorted, weighed and documented to inform future decision-making within the SEZ.
Coega employee volunteer, Mr. Alizwe Mqondeki shared his experience: “Any opportunity I’m given to be in nature and help, I will be there. This was my first time participating. It’s really a beautiful beach and I’d like to help keep it that way.” Coega’s participation reinforces its dedication to environmental conservation and aligns with the South African National Waste Management Strategy, which prioritises waste reduction and recycling.
