Public participation in the implementation of sustainable solid waste management in Soweto, South Africa

Inadequate management of waste is gradually turning out to be an issue of concern across the globe due to poor public participation. Participation of members of the public therefore becomes very crucial for a sustainable solid waste management to be achieved. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the perception of the public with regards to the current waste management system in Southwestern Township (Soweto), South Africa as a way of getting the public involved in the implementation of a sustainable solid waste management (SSWM) or Zero waste (ZW) project. To achieve this, a questionnaire consisting of 48 questions was formulated and administered in four communities consisting of informal settlement, middle- and high-income areas. A total of 150 questionnaires were administered but only 118 was returned. Data were collected and analysed using SPSS software with 95% confidence level. Results showed that 51% of respondents were not satisfied with the services, 71% did not know where their collected waste was taken to, for final disposal and 77% of respondents did not know who to contact if they have issues with their waste collection services. From the overall analysis, it was concluded that the people are not properly educated on environmental matters, but they are willing to support Zero waste.