CHAPTER 5 RESULTS
5.12. Co Creating – Prototyping the Future
132 One of the technical experts would like to bring into being a large scale project that can compost organic waste in order to set up effective community food gardens which can reduce poverty and malnutrition. According to the technical expert this project can be brought into being if MM officials undertake deep self audits of their roles, weaknesses and achievements and then commit to improving the situation by working with other stakeholders who can help to make a difference. This technical expert believes that for the system to achieve its highest future potential the key role players would need to work together; “I would need to let go of my views that bureaucracy is a camouflage for incompetence and that municipal officials only act in self interested ways, I guess that if I change and reach out to help others selflessly then I increase the possibility that more will do the same”.
One of the technical experts would like to bring into being a future where citizens have a deeper understanding of environmental issues and “are able to engage in waste exchange processes, clean up campaigns will be a thing of the past since we will not dump and litter and we will develop community based recycling projects at schools in order to ensure that the next generation is capable of protecting our planet in better ways than their parents did”.
According to this technical expert this type of future can only be created if organisations like MIDI are able to find space to undertake their work and find champions who are able to move projects from conceptual ideas through to implementation stages.
133 be ideal role models to communities whilst the MM would need to identify champions to drive the extension of river care projects.
A Rocha South Africa would like to prototype community waste educators projects and begin replacing timber plantations that surround the MM with indigenous forests. BESG would like to prototype a large scale environmental education campaign to schools and communities in order to increase awareness of pollution, integrated waste management and climate change.
5.12.2 The Waste Management Services Sector
A senior manager from the WMU would like to prototype pay as you throw forms of refuse collection charges in order to get waste tariffs to be based on actual use and create incentives for recycling. According to this manager emphasis during the prototyping process should be on closing the opportunities for free riding and corruption. Another senior manager from the LSU would like to prototype improvements to glass collection schemes within the MM. The focus of this prototyping process would be on setting up glass collection bins in places of high demand and setting up early warning systems to ensure glass bins are emptied before they reach full capacity. Prototyping activities would also need to focus on developing improved partnerships with recyclers and owners of facilities where glass bins are located.
Another senior manager within the WMU would like to prototype the ring fencing of the WMU and the LSU as well functioning business units operated on conventional business principles. According to this manager open minded, progressive and high capacity middle management capacity will need to be built up in order for this prototyping experience to be worthwhile.
5.12.3 The MM Political Sector
One of the political representatives interviewed wanted to prototype composting of garden refuse at a garden refuse site and also prototype a mobile garden refuse chipping service to households in order to enable residents to compost at a household level so that garden refuse sites could eventually be closed down. In order to undertake such a process the councillor indicated he would need inspired leadership from the WMU who would need to provide committed municipal officials and equipment to enable the prototyping to occur. Another political representative would like to prototype source separation collection services within the ward that he is elected to serve as a Councillor.
134 5.12.4 The MM Labour Sector
A trade union representative interviewed indicated that it would be interesting to prototype a performance bonus type of collection service system within the WMU whereby staff could earn performance bonuses if they completed their work earlier than normal or if their work was of a higher than normal standard and if vehicles were properly operated so that the need for repairs and maintenance were reduced.
5.12.5 The Business Sector
One of the representatives of the organised business sector indicated that they would want to prototype educational programmes within all schools in the MM in order to educate children and youth on environmental issues. This prototyping activity was necessary in order to learn how to effectively alter the attitudes of the next generation of consumers, workers and parents and lay the foundation for more environmentally sensitive human beings for many
generations to come, especially those generations that must deal with the greatest effects of climate change.
5.12.6 The Regulatory Authority Sector
One of the regulatory authority representatives would like to prototype activities aimed at improving the institutional arrangements at the WMU and the LSU. According to this
regulatory authority representative much of the work will involve replicating and adapting the institutional set up of Durban Solid Waste to fit the local MM context. This representative of the regulatory authority would also like to become involved in processes aimed at
implementing high leverage projects identified during the current IWMP process within the MM. Another representative of the regulatory authority would want to prototype public education and awareness campaigns on recycling and reuse of discarded materials and the production of compost at every home. Both regulatory authorities believed that these
prototyping activities could be worthwhile learning processes if MM officials participated in a meaningful manner and supported the processes financially and through transparent
implementation activities.
135 5.12.7 The Technical Expert Sector
Two of the technical experts would want to become involved in prototyping recycling
projects either through improving source separation collection schemes or setting up material recovery facilities for waste pickers at the landfill site. Both of these technical experts indicated that they would need to act as project champions in a voluntary capacity in order to encourage others to act in a similar way. One of other the technical experts would like to prototype the use of builders rubble and sludge from the Camps Drift Weir in order to
produce blocks that can be used in the construction industry. Another technical expert would like to prototype the establishment of waste exchange centres and setting up composting projects to supply food gardening projects with high quality compost to increase the quality and quantity of food produced.
5.13 Co - Evolving – Creating New Institutional Ecosystems and Supporting