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5.3 Integrated Waste Management Planning

Submitted by admin on Thu, 2009-10-01 13:19

An important public sector implementation mechanism is the provision for an interlocking set of national, provincial and local IWMPs.  National and provincial departments responsible for waste management and all municipalities must prepare IWMPs. The manner in which the IWMPs are developed must be consultative and municipalities are required to follow the prescriptions of Section 29 of the Municipal Systems Act. There is a tiered system for approving IWMPs, with national and provincial IWMPs being submitted to the Minister for approval, and local IWMPS to the MEC for approval, whose responsibility it is to ensure alignment with other relevant plans. The MEC may also request amendments to the IWMP or require adherence to the planning procedures set out in the Waste Act. National and provincial government may integrate their respective IWMPs into their broader development or environmental plans whilst municipalities are obliged to integrate their IWMPs into their integrated development plans. These provisions are important in ensuring that the IWMP is mainstreamed within the overall planning, monitoring and reporting systems of each level of government.

The Waste Act requires that IWMPs undertake a situational analysis and set out how national, provincial and local priorities will be addressed. IWMPs must include the establishment of priorities, objectives, targets, and implementation and financing arrangements. Annual performance reporting on the implementation of IWMPs is also required in terms of the Waste Act.
 
The Department has prepared a National Framework Guideline for the development of Integrated Waste Management Planning (January 2009), primarily directed at provincial departments and municipalities. Whilst it is comprehensive in terms of the contents of the IWMPs, it does not address the contents of the National IWMPs nor does it deal with the process for achieving an interlocking system of waste management plans.
 
The differing capacities of municipalities need to be taken into account, and a system of differentiated targets for waste services delivery, separation at source, recycling and other activities developed for different categories of municipality.
 
The NWMS should provide strategic direction as to how the plans of various agencies will be coordinated and integrated. Each IWMP must be:
  • submitted to national or provincial authorities for approval,
  • incorporated within relevant national and provincial plans, and
  • aligned with other plans, strategies and programmes.

The actual sequencing of these processes, and the consequent annual calendar for planning and reporting needs to be set out . The NWMS will take into account the varying contexts and capabilities of provinces and municipalities; provide guidance on key priorities and sequencing of interventions in differing contexts; and factor in the considerable resourcing constraints and associated issues that face the sector.