On 19 May 2026, the Natural Resources and Environment team visited Madam Waste, a company that is quietly rewriting the rules of waste and energy in South Africa. What we encountered was not just a business, but a vision: one where yesterday's food scraps become tomorrow's fuel, and where the circular economy is not a buzzword but a lived reality. Madam Waste adopts a consumer-centric and tailored approach to each service, spanning urban planning, organic waste management and decentralised sustainable energy.
This article explores the position of biogas within South Africa's waste and energy regulatory landscape: why it matters, how it works, and what it could mean for communities, the climate, and the economy if we choose to scale it.
