MANAGING WASTE
THE GROWTH IN THE VOLUME OF GENERAL WASTE produced highlights the economic potential of the waste management sector, with its estimated total expenditure of approximately R10-billion per annum. Waste collection and the recycling industry make a large contribution to job creation and GDP, and there is considerable potential to expand this further. In terms of the Constitution, waste management service delivery is a local government function. Municipalities are obliged to provide waste management services to realise this right. Sanitation infrastructure connects almost 80 percent of South African households, and there already exists a basis for a recycling industry. An example of this initiative is in operation at a pilot project in Mafikeng which services 30,000 households, has created 75 jobs and five SMMEs who now own their own waste collection trucks. Significant opportunities through the beneficiation of waste streams, including creating infrastructure for Materials Recovery Facilities, outsourcing of waste services to stimulate enterprise development, and waste-to-energy, emerge from a high level scan of the waste industry. This can be seen in existing recycling figures: approximately one and a half billion tons of packaging and paper waste (40 percent of the consumption of packaging and paper products) is recycled per annum. While this is still slightly behind developed country statistics, this provides an established base upon which to build and set future targets for the recycling industry. Making it happen – conclusion A core strategy of the New Growth Path is to encourage activities that can generate employment on a large scale and meet basic needs at lower costs in the short to medium term, while sustaining development of more knowledge intensive industries for long run growth. Direct linkages exist with this core strategy in terms of the Green Economy; namely, through technological innovation and development; a local manufacturing base to mainstream environmentally friendly technologies can be established that supports local job creation and regional integration and ensures that South Africa transitions to a greener growth path.
There is growing urgency in the need for South Africa to speed up the adoption of resource efficient production practices and progressively restructure away from energy intensive industries towards new green industries, which are financially viable and internationally competitive in the long run. A move to a more sustainable development path will create new green jobs, which may help to offset employment losses experienced in other sectors; open up new investment opportunities and export markets; support the creation of a knowledge – based economy and allow South Africa to set standards and demonstrate thought leadership.
Greener lighting for World Cup cities A 2010 project, supported by US$1-million in GEF funding, was greening public street lights, traffic lights and billboards in and around the stadiums of the FIFA 2010 World Cup’s six host cities. This was rolled out in the City of Tshwane (Pretoria), Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality (Port Elizabeth), Polokwane Local Municipality, Rustenburg Local Municipality and Mangaung Local Municipality (Bloemfontein). Green Passport A second initiative, the Green Passport, was aimed to encourage visitors to make responsible travel choices while visiting South Africa for the FIFA 2010 World Cup. The ‘Passport’ – a 32-page booklet packed with greening tips and information on responsible tourism in each host city – was distributed to 100,000 World Cup spectators.
“Direct linkages exist with this core strategy in terms of the Green Economy; namely, through technological innovation and development.”
ESG SOUTH AFRICA 91
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