5.7.4 Municipal capacity

5.7.4(1)
Municipal capacity for the sustainable provision of waste management services and proactive planning and management of landfill disposal is the single greatest capacity challenge. The following areas will require specific attention as part of a country wide capacity building programme for local government around waste management:

• Planning capacity to prepare Integrated Waste Management Plans and to coherently plan for appropriate levels of service, the extension of services, and the planning and management of landfills.
• Engineering and contracts management capacity for the actual delivery of waste services, either through internal mechanisms or through contracting private waste service providers.
• Engineering and planning capacity to promote waste separation, collect recycled materials, and establish and operate MRFs.
• Financial management and administrative capacity to undertake full cost accounting, ring fence waste service budgets, establish and implement cost reflective and volumetric tariffs, and implement the free basic services policy through targeting subsidies to the indigent.
• Financial planning and infrastructure modelling capacity to undertake capital expenditure planning for waste services.
• Engineering and project management capacity to ensure proper landfill management, permitting of landfills, and preparation of proposals for MIG funding.
• Compliance monitoring and enforcement capacity to deal with situations of illegal dumping and non-compliance with Waste Act provisions.
• Communications and stakeholder management capacity to effectively communicate with communities regarding the importance of proper waste management practices.

5.7.4(2)
A nationally coordinated local government capacity building programme for waste management will aim to address the above challenges. The programme will be developed jointly between DEA, provinces and SALGA, and will be aligned with the overall strategic framework for local government capacity building that is being driven by COGTA. The programme will consist of various elements, including national policy guidance on systems and procedures, training and information programmes for officials and councillors, expert advice and placement for limited periods, and capacity building grants to support local initiatives. The programme will be finalised during 2010, and will be implemented at scale from the beginning of 2011.