Cape Town has been awarded $1 million through the Bloomberg Mayor’s Challenge 2025 for a community-driven waste management initiative in informal settlements.
Cape Town Wins Bloomberg Mayor’s Challenge
The City of Cape Town’s winning project was selected from a pool of 630 applications worldwide and will receive financial and operational support to scale successful innovations.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis spearheaded the project, which originated as a pilot program in the Dunoon area. The initiative aims to establish a collaborative framework where residents co-design waste management practices.
“Cleaning up informal settlements is a problem that has vexed me and the city for years,” said Hill-Lewis. “We are most appreciative of this prize money and support, and we will use the money to scale up our pilot project on waste management in informal settlement communities.”
The project focuses on:
- Community-led waste separation-at-source projects
- Design and testing of greywater diversion infrastructure systems
- Exploration of a new model for waste and cleansing services in informal settlements
The Bloomberg Mayor’s Challenge involved two phases, with Cape Town competing among 50 finalist cities based on the novelty, potential impact, and strength of their implementation plans.
Hill-Lewis emphasized the importance of community collaboration, stating, “Our project recognises that success can only be achieved with the insights and collaboration of residents. We are energised by this global recognition as we work towards better, cleaner, more dignified living conditions for all residents, in line with our mission to build a city of hope for all.”
The city aims to transform waste service operations in a way that can be replicated across its municipalities and potentially inspire other cities globally.
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