During the past few decades there was little incentive for either government or industry in South Africa to focus attention on the polluting activities of industry. This climate is changing, spurred on by various drivers, including new legislation and the opening up of international markets. South Africa is demanding a cleaner future. Reinforced by both a progressive Constitution and complimentary legislation that enshrines the right to a protected environment, South Africa is ideally positioned to attain maximum benefit from Cleaner Production initiatives across all sectors.

Many initiatives in CP in South Africa, including the establishment of the NCPC -SA, have been enabled through assistance from international partners. Successes from various CP demonstration projects have encouraged further CP activity. An overview of past and existing CP Projects in South Africa is provided below, and organisations supporting CP activities are also listed.

Most recently, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism has completed the National Cleaner Production Strategy. This document lays down the framework through which different stakeholders (Government, Industry and Civil society) will participate in ensuring that South Africa achieves her goals on sustainable production and consumption