{"id":828291,"date":"2025-06-19T10:48:31","date_gmt":"2025-06-19T08:48:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=828291"},"modified":"2025-06-19T11:10:49","modified_gmt":"2025-06-19T09:10:49","slug":"tshwane-claimed-it-is-one-of-the-cleanest-cities-in-the-world-rivaling-japan-we-take-a-look","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/government\/828291\/tshwane-claimed-it-is-one-of-the-cleanest-cities-in-the-world-rivaling-japan-we-take-a-look\/","title":{"rendered":"Tshwane claimed it is one of the cleanest cities in the world, rivaling Japan. We take a look."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Tshwane\u2019s Deputy Mayor Eugene Modise recently claimed that the capital is “now in the race for the title of the cleanest city, rivaling even Japan!” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter we took power in the executive, our priority was to clean the city and we are on the correct path and this achievement is a testament to our collective commitment to stewardship,” he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although some progress is evident, particularly in the Pretoria CBD, those working in Tshwane\u2019s most polluted communities argue that the claims are detached from reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They added that these claims overlook the city’s deep-rooted environmental challenges, indicating that it still has a long road ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhile aspirations to position Tshwane among the cleanest cities in the world are commendable, the reality on the ground presents a very different picture,\u201d said Tarryn Johnston, founder of Hennops Revival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her nonprofit, focused on restoring the Hennops River, one of the most polluted in Gauteng, has removed over five million kilograms of waste from a single stretch of the river in Centurion over the past few years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite these efforts, the Hennops remains choked by raw sewage, industrial runoff, and illegal dumping. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These problems, Johnston says, are worsened by municipal inaction and the collapse of basic services in many areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not just about removing waste. Environmental cleanliness is about systemic change, education, and sustainable service delivery,\u201d she said, something Tshwane is not close to achieving yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similar frustrations echo in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, where the Soulbent Project, a community-led cleanup initiative, sees over 80 volunteers working twice weekly to clean their neighbourhood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supported by proceeds from two small vegetable gardens, the project is a beacon of grassroots action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Founder and CEO Mashudu Makhado lamented that \u201cinstead of backing our efforts, some city officials see us as a threat to their own recognition.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“They’d rather our area be dirty than not be praised.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The riverbank of the Hennops River in Centurion, Tshwane.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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A river running through Chidorigafuchi Park in Tokyo, Japan. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Global rankings and data<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to global consultancy Mercer Eco-City, the world\u2019s cleanest cities are ranked based on water quality, waste management, air pollution, and traffic efficiency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Copenhagen, Denmark, tops the list, known for its eco-friendly policies and extensive bicycle use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Singapore, Asia\u2019s cleanest city, is lauded for its \u201cClean and Green Policy\u201d and efficient waste and water management. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tokyo, Japan, excels with world-class waste systems and public transport rooted in a culture of cleanliness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other leading cities include Zurich, Switzerland; Oslo, Norway; Auckland, New Zealand; Adelaide, Australia; Calgary, Canada; and Honolulu, Hawaii: all demonstrating advanced sustainability practices ranging from electric mobility to climate action plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet Tshwane is noticeably absent from these rankings. When evaluated against similar criteria, it faces considerable challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Tshwane\u2019s air quality is rated as \u201cmoderate\u201d (AQI 56), with pollution levels generally below World Health Organisation thresholds, industrial areas like Pretoria West and Rosslyn experience repeated spikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Water quality presents a graver issue. A 2023 cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal was traced to contaminated water sourced from the Roodeplaat Dam. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the new Klipdrift Water Treatment Works has improved supply reliability, infrastructure breakdowns and water contamination persist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Bronkhorstspruit, residents frequently report discoloured, undrinkable water worsened by heavy rains and overwhelmed treatment plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reports from the South African Human Rights Commission and Green Drop audits confirm widespread failure at wastewater treatment facilities across the city. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sewage leaks continue to pollute rivers like the Hennops. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Illegal dumping also remains a pressing issue. The City of Tshwane identified over 600 illegal dumping sites in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The municipality allocates approximately R30 million annually to combat illegal dumping through enforcement and cleanup initiatives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 2023 study in similar low-income communities found that 58% of residents improperly dispose of household waste, mainly due to non-collection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite enforcement efforts and campaigns like the #Rekaofela initiative promoting responsible waste management, illegal dumping and littering remain persistent problems impacting health and urban cleanliness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Volunteers of the Soulbent Project working to clean up masses of illegal dumping in Atteridgeville<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Downtown Tokyo, Japan, where litter is an abnormality.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Meaningful action needed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Johnston cautioned that \u201cfor true transformation, leadership must go beyond surface-level declarations and political rhetoric.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Genuine action is needed to educate and empower communities, ensuring that cleanliness is not just an enforced expectation but an accessible reality.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Empty promises must be replaced with consistent services and infrastructure that support residents in maintaining safe, hygienic spaces,” she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also emphasised that environmental cleanliness is inextricably linked to community well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even in areas where litter is cleared, public spaces often remain unsafe, particularly for children and families, due to deeper social issues that require urgent attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe remain committed to our efforts, hopeful that meaningful change will come. But aspirations must be grounded in reality,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWithout a strategic, inclusive approach to waste management, education, and community safety, such comparisons to global benchmarks remain aspirational rather than achievable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BusinessTech reached out to the Tshwane Deputy Mayor, as well as the MMC for Environment and Agriculture to unpack their plans, but to no avail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photos from around Tshwane, taken in June 2025<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Litter, sewage, and more choke the Hennops River that runs through Tshwane. Photo: Seth Thorne<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Trash near the Centurion Mall. Photo: Seth Thorne<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Photo: Seth Thorne<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Photo: Seth Thorne<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Photo: Seth Thorne<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Photo: Seth Thorne<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Photo: Seth Thorne<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Photo: Seth Thorne<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tshwane’s claims that it is in the race for the title of world’s cleanest city have raised more than a few eyebrows.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":828384,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[7167,22894,22824,8885,9282],"class_list":["post-828291","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-government","tag-centurion","tag-eugene-modise","tag-hennops","tag-pollution","tag-tshwane"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/828291","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=828291"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/828291\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":828668,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/828291\/revisions\/828668"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/828384"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=828291"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=828291"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=828291"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}