GIZ has handed over a new CO₂ training reefer to West Coast TVET College in Atlantis, Cape Town, marking an important step towards strengthening local expertise in sustainable refrigeration. The new training facility will enable students, technicians and community members to gain practical skills in CO₂-based refrigeration technologies and support South Africa’s transition towards climate-friendly natural refrigerants.
On Thursday, 2 July 2026, GIZ officially handed over a CO₂ training reefer to West Coast TVET College at its Atlantis Campus in Cape Town, South Africa. The handover ceremony took place alongside a five-day training course on CO₂-based refrigeration technologies, marking an important milestone in strengthening local technical capacity for climate-friendly refrigeration solutions.
The initiative builds on a series of specialised training courses delivered by the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Academy (ACRA). South Africa’s first specialised training on CO₂-based refrigerated containers took place in Durban in July 2025. This was followed by two five-day basic training courses in October and November 2025, equipping a total of 30 technicians with practical skills in CO₂ refrigeration technology. The third five-day basic training, held in July 2026, brought the programme to West Coast TVET College in Atlantis, Cape Town, where ACRA delivered the course in collaboration with the college.
The event brought together high-level representatives from government, industry, and international cooperation, underlining the importance of the initiative. During the ceremony, speakers highlighted the significance of the new training equipment and the collaboration behind the project. The Chair of the West Coast TVET College Council described the handover as "a very significant day in the history of West Coast TVET College," emphasizing that the official launch of the CO₂ training reefer represents an important step for the institution. The Deputy Consul General of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany noted that the training reefer is "an important milestone in our shared efforts to advance sustainable refrigeration and strengthen technical skills in South Africa." Representatives from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment highlighted the environmental benefits of natural refrigerants, stressing that CO₂ technology contributes not only to climate change mitigation but also to the protection of the ozone layer. The Western Cape Provincial Government also welcomed the initiative, describing the project as an ideal starting point for its partnership with West Coast TVET College.
With the new CO₂ training reefer, West Coast TVET College will now be able to offer regular training courses to students and members of the community. This will help equip refrigeration technicians with the practical skills needed to support the transition towards climate-friendly natural refrigerants while creating new opportunities for technical education and employment in the region.
Looking ahead, the training facility is expected to become an important hub for building local expertise in sustainable refrigeration technologies. By expanding access to hands-on CO₂ training, the project contributes to the long-term adoption of safe, scalable, and environmentally friendly refrigeration solutions in South Africa.
