About us

The Metal Merchants Association was registered as an employer’s association in 1942 during WWII when South Africa introduced the Strategic Metals Act which severely limited the movement of secondary metal for recycling.

In 1999 the association changed its name to Metal Recyclers Association of South Africa (MRA) to accurately depict its involvement in the metal recycling industry. The constitution was amended and registered with the Department of Labour. The association adopted a code of conduct that commits its members to the highest degree of business ethics.

The association is a non-profit organization that is expressly prohibited from engaging in any commercial activities and it is managed by an annually elected board of executive members, who are active in their independent metal recycling businesses but also volunteer their time to promote the best interests of the metal recycling sector as a whole. The board interfaces with international counterparts ISRA and BIR and national stakeholders, on matters of trade policy; regulation and crime. Costs of administration are borne by annual member subscriptions and when necessary, special levy income.

Association Activities

“Members vote in a new executive committee at each annual general meeting, held within 6 months of 31 March each year. This committee elects from within its ranks, a chair person; vice-chair and treasurer. The function of the committee is to represent members interests by managing the challenges faced by the scrap metal recycling industry by:”

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Assisting business and law enforcement through the introduction of anti-theft measures.

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Co-operating with consumers to ensure that local industry requirements are met.

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Ensuring that government’s legislative initiatives are correctly researched.

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Promoting the positive contribution of the metal recycling industry.

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Safety, health and environmental issues relating to the industry.

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Ensuring that members’ businesses are conducted in an environmentally friendly manner.

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Policing members’ adherence to the association’s code of conduct.

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Ensuring members conduct their businesses in accordance with all applicable government, provincial and local legislation.

Executive Committee

Quintin Starkey – Chair – Star Recycling Company

Mike Wilson – Vice Chair – Fine Metals (Pty) Ltd

Monique de Jager – Treasurer – Gauteng Metal Recyclers

Daniel Barnett – S A Metal Group (Pty) Ltd

Stephan Pretorius – Envirocycle

Andrew Kilmartin – Speciality Metals

David Loewenthal – Universal Recycling Company

Bernard Maguire – Cronimet (RSA) (Pty) Ltd

Lisa Steenkamp – Honeydew Metal Recycling

Code of conduct

To strive to promote and improve the image and standards of the Metal Recyclers Association of South Africa.
To provide the highest level of service to our customers.
To trade in an ethical manner according to accepted business practice.
To provide safe and pleasant working conditions for my employees.
To uphold the concept of free enterprise and service the community.
To act in accordance with the current legislation relating to the trading of scrap metal and to promote the protection of the environment.
To avoid purchasing or handling materials suspected of having been stolen.
To co-operate with and support all persons in an endeavour to stop unlawful practices.

MRA Constitution

Recycling Value Chain

SAPS Accreditation

Second-Hand Goods Act

The South African Metal Recycling Industry in Focus.

Metals, as non-renewable resources, are expensive to extract and even more costly to process. However, after ores have been extracted and processed, the resultant metal product can be recycled for reuse at much lower costs than raw, virgin ores.

Since less energy is used there is a major environmental bonus. Therefore, a well-functioning domestic metals recycling industry is a cost effective, environmentally friendly component of the metals and downstream production value chains.

Download the PDF

info@mra.co.za