PART 2 SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
2.10 A NNUAL BUDGETS AND SDBIP S – INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS
2.10.10 ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE AND WASTE MANAGEMENT
The mandate and core business of the department is given gravitas and reinforced by Section 24 of the Constitution which makes provisions that everyone has the right to:
(a) an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being;
(b) have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations
The Department is the custodian of the environment in Ekurhuleni and therefore have a responsibility to foster sustainable development that promotes clean and green environment. As ambassadors of the environment in the City, it seek to promote the health and safety of residents by enhancing the quality of life through provision of clean environment including amenities such as parks. Departmental programmes are strategically designed to respond to the GDS theme namely: Re-generate to achieve environmental wellbeing and Re-mobilize to achieve social empowerment. Its operations are guided by national strategic goal of Sustainable Resource Management which has the following goals:
Protect and manage natural resources and environment;
Promote good waste management including diversion of waste from landfill through maximising recycling and to contribute to sustainable employment;
Support the development and utilisation of green technologies and processes The City is home to a hub of manufacturing, logistics and transport industries, therefore the risk of environmental pollution is impacted by various sources from these industries.
The role of the Pollution of the environment impacts on the quality of water resources, land and air and this can have negative health and social impacts for the city. Sustainable
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development of these industries requires protection of the environment to benefit both current and future generation. The services rendered by the Environmental Resources Management and Waste Management Services Department are, for budget purposes, divided into two categories, namely:
(a) Income generating services:
This include services such as the weekly household and daily business collection, Bulk container services; Litter picking in commercial and industrial areas; Operation and management of landfill sites as well as Parks and cemeteries.
(b) Non-income generating services
These services include mini refuse disposal sites/transfer stations; Litter picking in all areas excluding commercial and industrial areas; parks, rehabilitation of old disposal sites; removal of illegal dumping and all services provided in the informal settlements.
STRATEGIC OUTCOME ORIENTED GOALS FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND LINKAGES TO MSTF OUTCOMES
Strategic Outcome
Orientated Goal
Sustainable Natural Resource Management
Goal Statement The intention of this goal is to:
Protect and manage natural resources and environment.
Promote good waste management including diversion of waste from landfill through maximising recycling and to contribute to sustainable employment.
Support the development and utilisation of green technologies and processes
Boost energy security including through the development of suitable energy mix solutions
Justification This goal responds to the situation analysis and performance environment derived from the socio-economic directives contained in the NDP, the MTSF, and the June 2014 SONA, Gauteng SOPA and the COE GDS 2055
Links NATIONAL OUTCOME OUTPUT
OUTCOME 8: Sustainable Human Settlements and an improved quality of household life
OUTPUT 2: Improve Access to basic service
OUTCOME 9: Responsive, accountable, effective and efficient local government system
OUTPUT 2: Improving Access to Basic Services
OUTCOME 10: Environmental assets and natural resources that are well protected and continually enhanced
OUTPUT 2: Reduced greenhouse gas emissions, climate change impacts and improved
air/atmospheric quality
OUTPUT 3: Sustainable environmental management
Departmental strategic focus areas for the 2016-2021 term
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BUSINESS AS USUAL KEY STRATEGIC INTERVETIONS
Management of burials and promoting alternative burials
Maintaining and development of parks
Wetland rehabilitation Strategic guidance and advice on climate change resilience
Enforcement of environmental legislation
Protection of natural resources
Promoting a clean and green environment
Improving the aesthetics of the city
Promoting green building principles for all new developments
Improve norms and standard profile for the department
Development of Environmental Outlook Report
Develop a baseline quantification of a low carbon emission plan for the City of Ekurhuleni
Comprehensive spatial assessment of the status of biodiversity within COE (Update of bioregional plan)
Water quality monitoring programme for environmental indicators
Develop biodiversity stewardship programmes
Enhance and strengthen partnerships with various stakeholders e.g. CBO, NGO, Industries etc.
Follow-up and Implementation of identified projects from EBOSS, AQMP, Climate Change Strategy
2010 Legacy Projects revitalized (Entrance Beautification & viewing areas)
Community Area-based grass-cutting contract operational
25 Parks developed as per standards
Parks and Cemeteries renamed
Medicinal Nursery developed and operationalized
Additional Cemetery Land procured
Intensify maintenance of water bodies and rehabilitation programmes
Development of heroes acre policy Provision of waste management
services
Development of new airspace in the northern service delivery region
Roll-out of the 240 litre bins Bins that are being rolled out are fitted with an RFID chip. This would enable the department to track mobility of the bins to minimize loss
Maintaining the cleanliness of all CBDs
Introduction of night shift in all townships Provision of services in the informal
settlements
Installation of bulk walk-in containers in all informal
settlements
Promoting waste minimization activities Creating strategic partnerships with civil society and
the community for recycling as well as upgrading
infrastructure to support these initiatives in Township areas.
Waste to energy project Creation of strategic partnerships to grow the green
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BUSINESS AS USUAL KEY STRATEGIC INTERVETIONS energy into the electricity grid
By –law enforcement Strategic partnerships with the community to monitor and report on by-law compliance and enforcement as well as review of all
environmental by-laws
Amongst a list of obligation the department would execute, there are strategic focus areas that are aligned to the local government manifesto and mayoral Lekgotla resolutions. In lieu of the recent structural rationalization and re-alignment the following will be key focal areas:
Business process reengineering
The department will continue to embark on a Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) to ensure that the management of the department introspectively analyses and redesigns key operations within the department in order to achieve improvements in critical operations, reduce costs, stabilize, standardize and modernize service delivery operations. In this regard, the department undertook multiple assignments to rationalize its key operations aimed at bringing not only efficiencies but also cost saving measures through:
• Creation of a new micro organizational structure with defined and refined responsibilities.
• Reviewing the existing by-laws and policies
• Crafting and reviewing operational plans
• Up scaling of services in previously disadvantaged areas
• Promoting alternative burial methods
• Improving vertical and horizontal coordination of dependency factors to minimize its impact on service delivery
• Undertake scientific investigation to improve the quality and predictability of services
• Provision of bulk walk-in containers in the informal settlements
• Pursue a turnaround strategy to improve service delivery.
• Progressive maintenance programme for existing all facilities, infrastructures and equipment.
Developmental contract model
As part of the contribution towards the revitalization of the township economy, the department appointed Development Contractors to render comprehensive refuse removal services and through the Community Based Contractors. This economic intervention will create 48 new entrepreneurs within the waste sector township economy with 852 sustainable jobs created over a period of five years. Furthermore, the department will employ community based Cooperatives to render basic waste management services in the informal settlements. Plans are afoot to appoint six Development Contractors and 36 Community Based Contractor, 11 Recycling Cooperatives and 17 local cooperatives to clean townships and informal human settlements.
Keep Ekurhuleni Clean Program
Clean City Programme was established with a key objective of localizing cleaning programmes by offering a platform for communities to take charge of cleaning the spaces in which they live, play and work. Just to ponder on a few highlights since this programme
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was established, the launch took place in Tsakane on the 24th October 2015 with a huge clean-up operation in Tsakane. Communities got on board and helped the team clean up.
This programme has seen more than 3000 brigades being contractually engaged.
Lessons learned from previous episode of the campaign led to the City to remodeling the campaign and make it a ward based programme. In the new model service providers are going to be engaged for each service delivery region to act as project managers. The participants will be recruited from the wards to minimize travelling off participants to areas of work. There would be 20 brigades recruited per ward totaling 2240 brigades, 112 supervisors and 20 coordinators each deployed per customer care area.
The effects of littering and illegal dumping, poor waste management practices take away the economic potential of the city. After a successful implementation of the programme during the previous financial year, clean city programme will be reintroduced in 2018/19 with a new approach.
Development and upgrading of parks
The department has developed a parks classification policy named urban parks modernisation and classification policy. The purpose of the policy is to. The intention of the Urban Parks Modernization and Classification Policy is to guide the Parks and Cemeteries Division of CoE in its modernization and classification of all parks. The Policy will also assist all other internal CoE departments in planning of functions relating to their role within CoE Parks. Green spaces, quiet streets and recreational parks are important for relaxation, health and sport, nature watching and social activities. Open areas and green parks are important building blocks for promoting quality of life in urban environments.
Climate change imperatives and interventions
The department has developed a climate change response strategy. The strategy will aid the organization in dealing with the issues and impacts related to the fast changing climate. The Climate Change Response Strategy is the overarching framework for climate change actions for the Ekurhuleni city. Addressing the effects of climate change, environmental degradation and reduction of GHG emissions not only improves the natural environment, ecosystem services and living habitat, but also helps municipalities in three dimensions of sustainability: economic, environmental, and social.
Promote environmental awareness and environmental education
Education and public awareness is an integral part of sustainable development and an important part of a community’s understanding of the environmental impacts and how these relate to their actions. Lack of knowledge by industry and community members can cause the degradation of the environment. The empowerment of industry and communities with regards to the environment not only enables them to understand what may be wrong and how they can rectify this, but also enables understanding and appreciation, which in turn leads to a desire to conserve and protect the surrounding environment. Promoting environmental education and awareness will enhance the understanding of environmental rights, responsibilities and the protection and appreciation of the environment.
Development and upgrading of cemeteries
The department has been able to seamlessly provide graves and burial services to the community. Upgrading of cemeteries took place in the various regions according to
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backlogs in development and infrastructure requirements. The following cemeteries were upgraded; North 4; South 6 and East 8. Additional land for cemetery development is constantly being investigated and additional land next to Thomas Nkobi Cemetery was procured.
Maintaining sufficient burial space is a challenge in Ekurhuleni. Various alternative burial services have been added to council’s menu of choices however the majority of burials still use the old traditional methods. The constant challenge is to educate the public and to encourage new alternative burial services. The procurement of additional land is a very lengthy and bureaucratic process and not always successful as sellers of land are impatient.
Beautification of open spaces around prioritized lakes, dams and township entrances
To date the department has completed the beautification of Boksburg Lake, Upgrade of Murray Park at Alexander or President Dam, cleaning of dams and upgrading Bunny Park. Beautification of seven township entrances were completed. The department will continue to beautify spaces around lakes and dams. Projects in the 2019/20 FY include Rehabilitation of Boksburg lake, planning for the rehabilitation of Brakpan dam,
continuation of developing and upgrading Murray Park in Springs
Table 62 Operating Budget of Environmental Resource and Waste Management