Advancing Green Public Procurement in South Africa: Challenges, opportunities and strategic pathways

Public procurement makes up a significant part of South Africa’s economy, offering a powerful tool to drive sustainable development. While the country does not yet have dedicated green public procurement (GPP) laws, the new Public Procurement Act (2024) creates opportunities for more sustainable purchasing practices.

This report outlines five key steps to advance GPP, including strengthening policies, building capacity, improving monitoring, addressing financial barriers and engaging markets. 

Local initiatives, like those in the Western Cape and Cape Town, show that GPP can reduce environmental impacts by lowering water use, energy consumption and waste generation.