(8) Our Ideas on how to Solve the Waste Problem In Sekhukhune

-The municipal council is by law responsible to make a waste management plan and to implement the plan. They should do this urgently,

-The big supper markets as well as the spaza shops are also responsible because they make money buy  selling  goods wrapped in plastic , or they don’t collect the bottles and they sell diapers. They should support community initiatives to solve this problem

-The Mines are responsible , because they disrupted the traditional life of the community , they were responsible for the increase in population. They say they provide jobs and contracts and stimulate business , but for only a small section of the community .They pass  their costs on the community in this way by not paying more for services such as waste management. Mines must support the initiatives of the community to solve this problem

-The community must be become aware of the serious danger to their health and to the environment in which they live. They should , as parents come together to act on this problem

-Activists Organisations in Sekhukhune must work together with the support of this NGO’s to support the community to take action. The waste problem is not minor problem . It is about people’s day to day health and safety it is about protecting the environment. It is connected to the other big problems related to mining in Sekhukhune.

Our Ideas for a Community driven waste management system

Start with the community . Listen to their ideas how this problem could be solved . Help them develop an action plan and support this action.

Talk to ward committee and councillors win their support for a community plan to solve this problem

Develop our ideas into a proposal. Set up pilot projects to be funded by local Spaza shops , super markets and the Mines. Here are some ideas,

• Place a dumpsters in sections of the village identified by residents,
• Municipal trucks must fetch waste from these dumpsters regularly
• Employ unemployed youth in each section to collect bags of waste from the houses and place it in the dumpsters
• The youth will also separate to remove recyclable items for sale
• Set up Waste and Environment groups of residents who will manage the dumpsters and monitors support the youth in their recycling activities
• Develop a Community Waste and Environmental education and awareness programme

Please send us your responses and ideas on a plan to solve the waste management crisis in Sekhukhune , WhatsApp us at +27 79 623 5248