Implementation of waste management policy in the City of Tshwane

Abstract

The City of Tshwane is the capital city of South Africa and the administrative seat of government. The status of the city as a capital creates high expectations on the level of basic service delivery on municipal services like waste management, water, electricity and health. The city is currently facing challenges in relation to the delivery and implementation of waste management services. In an attempt to find solutions to the waste management challenges of the city a study on the implementation of waste management services is undertaken by the researcher. The study identifies and then analyses the underlying reasons for the challenges faced by the City of Tshwane in the implementation of waste management services. This aim of this study was to investigate and to analyse the implementation of waste management services in the City of Tshwane’s historically disadvantaged areas with particular focus on Region 01, 02, 05 and 07. In order to investigate these factors, a descriptive research design and qualitative methodology was used which related to convenient and purposive sampling of officials and data collected from fifteen (15) respondents using semi structured interviews and observations. The study also utilised document analysis to interpret the challenges and solutions related to the research topic. It emerged from the study that a lack of capacity and resources to perform efficient waste management services underpinned many of the challenges experience by the city. The failure of the city to ensure community participation and involvement is another reason for the challenges the city faces in waste management. Furthermore, the lack of policy implementation and enforcement is an element that the city needs to deeply consider. When policy is crafted with input of residents and when there is a social contract as to the roles and responsibilities of each party, it becomes easier to enforce. Some of the challenges that the city faces with regards to waste management can also be attributed to political interference and institutional deficiencies. Beyond issues like capacity, institutions and others, the city will continue to face challenges if it does not seriously invest in innovation and new technologies that address its generic and specific conditions in relation to the management of waste. The marginalisation and selective enforcement of by-laws on the informal recyclers and reclaimers are some of the findings of the study that demonstrate the inability of the city to find specific solutions to specifics regions on waste management .These challenges resulted in the peri urban regions like region 01, 02, 05 and 07 not receiving quality and consistent waste management services. The study recommends some interventions to address the waste management problems identified in the highlighted regions and entire City of Tshwane. Some of the recommended interventions include, assessing the unique characteristics of the communities and regions with a view of identifying waste management solutions that will be relevant for the circumstances and profile of such regions, ensure that proper and adequate resources, infrastructure and capacity is deployed to such areas to improve the waste services in those areas. Furthermore aggressive education and awareness campaigns conducted in partnership with communities will be critical to change people’s attitude towards waste management and a clean environment. This can be achieved through a consultative process led by the City of Tshwane in partnership with its communities and enforced through a progressive and incentive driven by-law system.