GIZ has handed over a CO2 training reefer to West Coast TVET College at its Atlantis Campus in Cape Town, South Africa. The facility will provide practical training in CO2-based refrigeration technologies for students, technicians and community members.
The handover took place on 2 July 2026 alongside a five-day training course delivered by the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Academy (ACRA) in collaboration with the college. The initiative follows South Africa’s first specialised training on CO2-based refrigerated containers in Durban in July 2025 and two five-day basic courses in October and November 2025, which trained a total of 30 technicians.
West Coast TVET College will use the new training reefer to offer regular courses to students and members of the community. The programme is intended to build practical skills among refrigeration technicians and support South Africa’s transition towards climate-friendly natural refrigerants.
Representatives from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment highlighted the environmental benefits of natural refrigerants, stating that CO2 technology contributes to climate change mitigation and protection of the ozone layer. The Western Cape Provincial Government also welcomed the initiative as a starting point for its partnership with West Coast TVET College.
The Deputy Consul General of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany described the training reefer as “an important milestone in our shared efforts to advance sustainable refrigeration and strengthen technical skills in South Africa.”
