Assessing the role of waste pickers at waste management facilities in Ehlanzeni distric municipality, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

Abstract

Waste management appears to be a global challenge across all nations. As a result, there is a dire need to ensure that waste is handled in a manner that does not negatively impact human health, or the environment in general, as stipulated in section 24 of the Constitution of South Africa 1996. The high rate of unemployment prompts individuals to venture into waste picking as a source of income. This study sought to assess the role of waste pickers at waste management facilities, specifically focusing on landfill sites, transfer stations and buy-back centres, and the constraints hindering effective waste collection by waste pickers in the Ehlanzeni District Municipality in South Africa, in particular. This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted using quantitative methods. A convenience sampling technique, with a sample size of 46 waste pickers and four supervisors, was applied in face-to-face structured interviews with field workers and self-administered closed-ended questionnaires. The quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0 and Microsoft (MS) Excel 2021. The framework (in SPSS) within which to capture the collected data was prepared. After all the questionnaires had been entered into this software, the analysis of the frequencies of the data was run. The data output was exported to MS Excel version 2021, so that tables and statistics could easily be extracted. The qualitative data were analysed using Tesch analysis. The results revealed that waste pickers played a significant role in waste management facilities by minimising waste through recycling. Ehlanzeni District Municipality has not sped up the process of aligning its policies with the national priorities in terms of formalising waste picking, resulting in a lack of support available to the waste pickers from the local municipalities. Most waste pickers do not have valid documentation for them to be included in the local municipalities database, and this also makes it difficult for the municipalities to provide the necessary support. Most respondents indicated that they performed the waste-picking activity to earn an income for their household responsibilities and dependants. Most waste pickers were interested in collecting plastic (50%) and polyethylene terephthalate (16%) waste. Lack of support from the municipalities, infrastructure and access to waste landfill sites was a concern for waste pickers.

Kuphatfwa kwenkhukhuma (imfucuta) kubonakala kuyinsayeya yemhlaba kuto tonkhe tive. Ngesizatfu saloku, kunesidzingo lesikhulu sekucinisekisa kutsi inkhukhuma iphatfwa ngendlela lengatsintsi kabi imphilo yemuntfu, noma-ke imvelo/simondzawo ngebubanti baso, njengoba kushiwo eSigabeni se-24 seMtsetfosisekelo waseNingizimu Afrika. Lizinga leliphakeme lekweswelakala kwemisebenti likhutsata bantfu kutsi bacale umsebenti wekugcogca inkhukhuma njengendlela yekutingenisela imali. Lolucwaningo beluhlose kuhlola indzima ledlalwa bagcogci benkhukhuma etindzaweni lekulahlwa kuto inkhukhuma, ikakhulukanti etindzaweni tekulahla inkhukhuma, titeshi tekwendlulisa kanye nasetindzaweni tekutsenga kabusha, kanye netinkinga letikhinyabeta kugcogcwa kwenkhukhuma ngemphumelelo kwalabo labagcogca inkhukhuma kuSigodzi sase-Ehlanzeni eNingizimu Afrika, ikakhulukati. Lolucwaningo loluchazako, lolwentiwe kubantfu labanyenti labahlukene kusetjentiswa tindlela tebunyenti. Indlela lelula yekwenta isampuli, isampuli yebagcogci benkhukhuma labange-46 nabosuphavayiza la-4, yafakwa kuluhlolokhono loluhlelekile lwekubonana buso nebuso nebagcogci bemininingwane kanye neluhlumibuto yekutibuta levalekile. Imininingwane yebunyenti yahlatiywa kusetjentiswa Iphakheji Yetibalobalo yeSayensi Yetenhlalakahle (i-SPSS) yeluhlobo lwe-26.0 kanye ne-Microsoft Excel 2021. Kwahlelwa luhlakamsebenti (ku-SPSS) lwekubamba lemininingwane legcogciwe. Ngemuva kwekungeniswa kwato tonkhe tinhlumibuto kusofthiwe, kwabese kwentiwa luhlatiyo lwemahlandla emininingwane. Imiphumela yemininingwane yendluliselwa ku-Microsoft Excel 2021, kute kutsi kuhlungwe kalula emathebuli netibalobalo. Imininingwane yalokungukona lucobo yahlatiwa ngesikhatsi seLuhlatiyo lwe-Tesch. Imiphumela yakhombisa kutsi bagcogci benkhukhuma badlala indzima lebalulekile ekuphatfweni kwetindzawo tenkhukhuma ngekutsi banciphisa inkhukhuma ngekuyenta umkhicito lomusha. Masipala weSgodzi sase-Ehlanzeni akalusheshisi luhlelo lwekwenta tinchubomgomo tabo netintfo lekufanele kucalwe ngato kwentiwa tavelonkhe kutsi tihambisane nemibandzela ekugcogcwa kwenkhukhuma kutsi kube ngulokuhlelekile, lokubangele kweswelakala kwekwesekelwa kwebagcogci hi nseketelo lowu lavekaka. Vaanguri vanyingi eka ndzavisiso va kombise leswo va endla nghingiriko wa ku rholela mathyaka ku kuma mali yo hlayisa mindzeni ya vona na vanhu lava va va wundlaku. Vunyingi bya varholeri va mathyaka va tsakela ku rholela tiplastiki (50%, na mathyaka ya polyethylene terephthalate (16%). Nkala nseketelo wa vamasipala, infrastrakchara na ku fikelela ti-landfill site i swilo leswi swi karhataku varholeri va mathyaka.

Vulawuri bya mathyaka byi vonaka byi ri ntlhontlho eka misava hinkwayo na le ka tinxaka hinkwato. Hikokwalaho ka sweswo, ku na xilaveko xikulukumba xa ku tiyisa leswo mathyaka ya khomiwa hi ndlela leyi nga ri ku na switandzhaku swo biha eka rihanyu ra vanhu, kumbe eka mbangu hi ku nava, tanihilaha swi nga vekiwa eka Xiyenge 24 xa Vumbiwa ra Afrika Dzonga. Ku kala ka mitirho swi endla leswo vanhu va nghenela eka ku rholela mathyaka tanihi ndlela yo kuma mali. Ndzavisiso lowu wu kambela ndzima ya varholeli va mathyaka eka tifasiliti ta vulawuri bya mathyaka, ngopfu ngopfu hi ku landzelela tisayiti ta tindhawu to lahla mathyaka ku nga ti landfill, switici swa ku hundzisa mathyaka, na tisenthara to xava nakambe, na leswi vahlengeleti va mathyaka va hlanganaku na swona eka Masipala wa le EHlanzeni District eAfrika Dzonga ngopfu ngopfu. Ndzavisiso wu tirhise timethodi ta descriptive, cross-sectional na quantitative. Ku tekiwile sampuli ya thekniki ya convenience sampling, hi sampuli ya varholeli va mathyaka va 46 xikan'we na vasuphavhayisara va 4, hi ku endla ti-structured interview ta ku hlangana xikandza-na-xikandza na vatirhi va le tindhawini to tirhela xikan'we na nongonoko wa swivutiso leswi tsariweke swa close-ended questionnaire leswi vanhu a va tihlamulela swona. Ku xopaxopiwile quantitative data hi ku tirhisa Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0 and Microsoft Excel 2021. Rimba (hi SPSS) leri ku nga hlengeletiwa hi rona vutivi ri lulamisiwile. Endzhaku ka loko nongonoko wa swivutiso hinkwawo wu nghenisiwile eka software, vuxopaxopi bya frikhwensi ya vutivi byi endliwile. Leswi nga kumeka hi vutivi swi nghenisiwile eka Microsoft Excel version 2021, leswo tithebuli na statistiki swi ta humesiwa. Ku xopaxopiwile vutivi bya qualitative hi ku tirhisa Tesch Analysis. Vuyelo byi kombise leswo varholeri va mathyaka va tlanga ndzima ya nkoka eka tifasiliti ta vulawuri bya mathyaka hi ku hunguta mathyaka no endla leswo swilo swi tlhela swi tirhisiwa nakambe (recycling). Masipala wa le Ehlanzeni District kambe yena a nga si hlanganisa tipholisi ta yena na swilo leswi faneleke swi vekiwa emahlweni hi ku landza ku rholeriwa ka mathyaka, leswi nga na vuyelo bya ku kala ku seketeriwa ka varholeri va mathyaka eka vamasipala. Vunyingi bya varholeri va mathyaka a va na tidokumende leti faneleke leswo va ta katsiwa eka database ya masipala wa ndhawu, na swona leswi swi endla leswo swi nonon'hwa eka vamasipala ku nyiketa hi nseketelo lowu lavekaka. Vaanguri vanyingi eka ndzavisiso va kombise leswo va endla nghingiriko wa ku rholela mathyaka ku kuma mali yo hlayisa mindzeni ya vona na vanhu lava va va wundlaku. Vunyingi bya varholeri va mathyaka va tsakela ku rholela tiplastiki (50%, na mathyaka ya polyethylene terephthalate (16%). Nkala nseketelo wa vamasipala, infrastrakchara na ku fikelela ti-landfill site i swilo leswi swi karhataku varholeri va mathyaka.