Thesis (MPA.) --University of Limpopo, 2006 / Refer to the document

The ineffective and inefficient management and collection of municipal solid waste is a significant problem in cities of many developing countries. South Africa as a developing country is also faced with the same problem. Buffalo City Municipality with its fast growing urban population is not immune from the problem. Due to continuing population growth, urbanisation, industrialisation and higher consumption levels which started after the demise of the previous legislations which stifled the advancement of black communities, the generation and management of municipal solid waste in developing countries is likely to worsen. The uncollected waste and rampant littering generates pollution and poses risks to human health and the environment. Regulations guiding the treatment and the disposal of waste are not followed to the letter by authorities. There are no measures in place to ensure that the environment is sustained, and even if there are they are not fully implemented. This affects municipalities negatively in various aspects. Tourism that is known to boost ailing and weak local economies is affected. Properties are devaluated and potential developers turn their backs on municipalities that are not well managed. It is the low-income communities that suffer the brunt of the inefficiency and poor service delivery. This status quo is not acceptable eighteen years after the attainment of democracy and the adoption of the Constitution in South Africa. This study analyses the challenges and factors that cause Buffalo City Municipality (BCM) not to deliver services efficiently and successfully in respect of waste management. It also attempts to check alternatives and solutions as gathered from other cities in a similar predicament. Municipalities are encouraged to adopt Local Economic Development (LED) principles and establish public- public partnerships and private- public partnerships thereby utilizing communities in refuse collection and waste management.

Thesis (MSc (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / 103 Leaves printed on single pages, preliminary pages i- viii and numbered pages 1-94.I ncludes bibliography, ADDENDUM A: Questionnaire document used in the research; list of tables and figures. / Digitized at 330 dpi black and white PDF format (OCR), using KODAK i 1220 PLUS scanner. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The subject of waste management is one that evokes a variety of debates due to the overwhelming implications on the environment and on health that are associated with the management of waste. In developing urban areas associated with informal settlements, environmental problems emanating from household solid waste management predicaments such as illegal dumping, littering and overfilling of skips have become a permanent feature. This is also the case in Lwandle a developing township in Helderberg Municipality, Western Cape. This study looks into the waste management system in Lwandle with the aim to investigate institutional settings, related socio-economic factors and resultant community perceptions, and avenues for the use of environmental education and community participation. The results show waste collection to be the responsibility of the Helderberg Municipality, but the collection operation is undertaken by a private contractor. The nature of waste collection under these arrangements is mainly determined by the nature of housing and associated accessibility. Consequently, three main methods of waste collection are used: kerbside collection; communal collection where there is use of bins and communal collection where there is use of skips. These have varying efficiency among the nine housing areas. Socioeconomic conditions, which were marked by a high level of unemployment and low incomes, determine societal attitudes. These underpin finer variations and detailed conditions of waste collection. These, in tum, establish the framework for suitable environmental education and community participation. The latter was found to be minimal. Thus, a holistic approach to the improvement of waste management that first acknowledges inherent broader societal problems such as housing and unemployment is proposed as part of the recommendations. This approach then concentrates on finer aspects such as contracts for waste collection, aspects of waste collection dependent on waste stream nature of housing areas, appropriate environmental education and community participation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Afvalbestuur is 'n onderwerp wat 'n verskeidenheid van debatte uitlok vanwee die geweldige implikasies vir die omgewing en vir gesondheid wat met afvalbestuur geassosieer word. In ontwikkelende stedelike gebiede wat met informele behuising geassosieer word, het omgewingsprobleme soos onwettige storting, die strooi van rommel en oorvol stortbakke wat verband hou met die hantering van vaste afval uit huise 'n permanente kenmerk geword. Dit is ook die geval by Lwandle, 'n ontwikkelende dorpsgebied te Helderberg, in die Wes-Kaap. Hierdie studie beskou die afvalbestuursisteem in Lwandle met die doel om institusionele omgewings, verwante sosio-ekonomiese faktore en die persepsies van die gemeenskap wat daaruit ontwikkel, asook moontlikhede vir die gebruik van omgewingsopvoeding en gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid, te ondersoek. Die resultate van die ondersoek toon dat die Helderberg Munisipaliteit verantwoordelik is vir die insameling van afval, maar dat die insameling deur 'n private kontrakteur uitgevoer word. Onder sulke omstandighede word die aard van afvalinsameling hoofsaaklik deur die aard van die behuising en die verwante toeganklikheid bepaal. Daarvolgens is daar drie hoofmetodes van insameling, wat deur verskillende grade van effektiwiteit gekenmerk word, vir die nege behuisingsgebiede: sypaadjie versameling; kommunale versameling in dromme; en kommunale versameling in stortbakke. Sosio-ekonomiese omstandighede, wat gekenmerk word deur 'n hoe mate van werkloosheid en lae inkomstes, bepaal gemeenskapshoudings wat deur die verskillende maniere van afvalverwydering tot stand kom en ondersteun fyner variasies en gedetailleerde omstandighede van afvalinsameling. Dit bepaal weer die raamwerk vir gepaste omgewingsopvoeding en die deelname van die gemeenskap. Die studie het getoon dat laasgenoemde minimaal is. 'n Holistiese benadering tot die verbetering van afvalbestuur, wat eerstens inherente breer gemeenskapsprobleme soos behuising en werkloosheid erken, word dus as deel van die aanbevelings voorgestel. Hierdie benadering konsentreer vervolgens op die fynere aspekte, soos kontrakte vir afvalinsameling, aspekte van afvalinsameling, gepaste omgewingsopvoeding en gemeenskapsdeelname.

Bibliographical refernces appear at the end of each chapter / This study reviews solid waste management practices in Polokwane City. The study area covered some of the residential areas in Polokwane City; namely; Ivy Park, Fauna Park, Welgelegen, Westernburg and the City Centre. This article describes two main methods that were used to collect data; that is Qualitative and Quantitative method. Field survey was also made to validate data obtained from the participants that were interviewed during qualitative data process. After framing the problem, the objectives of Solid Waste Management Practices in Polokwane City were briefly outlined as follows: • Assess solid waste management practices in Polokwane City. • Make comparison on how households and the municipality take responsibility in storing, collecting, transporting, treating and disposing solid waste. • Investigate what problems the City encounters in managing solid waste. • Make relevant recommendations aimed at improving solid waste management practices within the City. The service management was administered by the municipality and private sector. From the five study residential areas, the Municipality manages waste in the City Centre while the private sector manages waste in the other residential areas. However, the City continues to play an administrative role over the contracted service provider. Statistical results were presented in figures and tables. The results showed the storage habits, frequency of collection, mode of transport and methods of disposal for solid waste in Polokwane City. The only method of disposal in the city was found to be landfilling. Activities that took place at the landfill site, such as reclaiming were outlined together with the economic values that these activities add to the City. The study also revealed that as population increases, the amount of solid waste generated also increased. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

Bibliographical refernces appear at the end of each chapter / This study reviews solid waste management practices in Polokwane City. The study area covered some of the residential areas in Polokwane City; namely; Ivy Park, Fauna Park, Welgelegen, Westernburg and the City Centre. This article describes two main methods that were used to collect data; that is Qualitative and Quantitative method. Field survey was also made to validate data obtained from the participants that were interviewed during qualitative data process. After framing the problem, the objectives of Solid Waste Management Practices in Polokwane City were briefly outlined as follows: • Assess solid waste management practices in Polokwane City. • Make comparison on how households and the municipality take responsibility in storing, collecting, transporting, treating and disposing solid waste. • Investigate what problems the City encounters in managing solid waste. • Make relevant recommendations aimed at improving solid waste management practices within the City. The service management was administered by the municipality and private sector. From the five study residential areas, the Municipality manages waste in the City Centre while the private sector manages waste in the other residential areas. However, the City continues to play an administrative role over the contracted service provider. Statistical results were presented in figures and tables. The results showed the storage habits, frequency of collection, mode of transport and methods of disposal for solid waste in Polokwane City. The only method of disposal in the city was found to be landfilling. Activities that took place at the landfill site, such as reclaiming were outlined together with the economic values that these activities add to the City. The study also revealed that as population increases, the amount of solid waste generated also increased. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)