Wooden pallets made from timber grown near Creighton (KwaZulu-Natal) have returned to their roots in a remarkable new form, as part of a purpose-built Grade 1 classroom at Emnqundekweni Primary School near Bulwer.
After years of transporting goods across South Africa, retired CHEP pallets were recovered, processed and combined with recycled materials to create durable building planks. The process gave the timber a second life in the community where its journey began.
Solving 7 Advisor, Iqbal Hirji, described the project as “the story of the pallet” — a journey from forest to mill, national service, retirement and renewal. His account captures the circular-economy thinking behind the classroom and its furnishings; materials that had reached the end of one useful life were repurposed to meet an urgent local need.
Hirji said the project had brought the retired pallet back to where its journey began, giving it a new purpose. “This is what we call circularity,” he said. “Nothing should go to waste.”
The timber’s journey began in the Braecroft forest in the Emnqundekweni i area of KwaZulu-Natal, where mature trees were harvested and seedlings replanted. At the nearby Weatherboard timber mill, the wood was cut and shaped into pallets that help move goods through supply chains. After years of use across South Africa, damaged pallets were dismantled and shredded rather than discarded.
The recovered timber was then processed by Nowatech, which removed the nails and refined the wood into powder. This was mixed with resin made from recycled PVC pipes and extruded into strong composite planks. Those planks now form part of the new classroom, demonstrating how materials can be recovered and reused close to where they originated.
The classroom was handed over on Wednesday, 21 October, to 30 Grade 1 learners whose previous learning space had deteriorated, raising safety concerns for learners, teachers and the wider community.
Emnqundekweni Primary School, about 11 kilometres from one of the CHEP timber plantations, serves 206 learners from the surrounding area.
Delivered through a partnership led by global supply chain company CHEP, alongside WILDTRUST and Solving 7, the purpose-built classroom incorporates approximately 40% repurposed wood waste from CHEP timber operations. It is elevated above ground level to improve durability and help address site-related challenges, including flooding.
CHEP also supplied a chalkboard, a teacher’s desk and 35 ergonomically sized green desks made from a mix of plastic and repurposed timber waste from its Weatherboard sawmill. Together, the classroom and its furnishings demonstrate how materials from local operations can be diverted from waste streams and transformed into practical resources for learners.
Thandukwazi Mthobisi Gumede, Emnqundekweni Primary School under Centocow Circuit, said the previous classroom’s condition had been a serious concern.
“The condition of our previous classroom was a real concern for our school. This new classroom brings a sense of reassurance and renewed optimism for our learners and teachers.”
“We are deeply grateful to CHEP and its partners for recognising our need and helping us create a better environment for our children. Their support means a lot to our school and the wider community, because investing in our children is investing in the future of Emnqundekweni.”
For the project partners, the classroom also shows how community development can go hand in hand with more responsible resource use.
WILDTRUST works with communities across southern Africa through conservation and development initiatives, while Solving 7 specialises in infrastructure solutions using recycled and repurposed materials. Their collaboration with CHEP brought together the expertise needed to address an immediate educational need while making productive use of materials that might otherwise have been discarded.
WILDTRUST Chief Executive Officer, Dr Roelie Kloppers said the project demonstrated the value of combining community development with environmental responsibility.
“This project demonstrates the value of bringing community development and environmental responsibility together to address a practical need. By rethinking how materials can be used, we can identify solutions that benefit people while making better use of available resources.”
“Partnerships like this are important because they connect innovation with real needs on the ground, helping communities access essential facilities while encouraging more responsible resource use. It is this kind of collaborative approach that can contribute to more resilient communities and a healthier environment over the long term.”
At the handover ceremony, the pallet’s return became a tangible example of how circular business practices can create lasting value for communities connected to the CHEP operations.
Alisdair Sinclair, vice-president of CHEP Sub-Saharan Africa, said every child deserved a safe learning environment that supported their potential.
“As a longstanding neighbour and partner in this community, we believe in recognising local needs and working together to address them. This classroom puts materials from our operations to use in support of young learners. We are grateful to the school and our partners for making it possible.”
About WILDTRUST
WILDTRUST (registered as the Wildlands Conservation Trust – IT No.4329/1991/PMB) is a pioneering, African-grown conservation non-profit. For over two decades, we have earned a reputation for sustainable impact across southern Africa and the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), advancing the conservation and restoration of blue and green spaces, safeguarding species, and building climate resilience alongside communities whose lives and livelihoods depend on nature.
Our approach is grounded in scientific research and best practices, driven by expert and passionate people across disciplines, and shaped by community needs and on-the-ground experience. This is why local communities, government stakeholders, partners, and donors trust us to deliver real, sustainable outcomes for people and nature.
WILDTRUST pursues the realisation of its vision of “A thriving and resilient world” through two core programmes: WILDLANDS and WILDOCEANS.
For more information, visit www.wildtrust.co.za
About CHEP
CHEP is a global leader in supply chain solutions. Together with producers, manufacturers, retailers and logistics partners, CHEP advances the smart and sustainable movement of goods across approximately 60 countries.
Powered by its share, repair and reuse network of connected pallets, crates and containers, CHEP helps businesses optimise their supply chains to reduce costs and minimise the environmental impact of their operations.
For more information, visit www.chep.com