Political Oversight on Service Delivery and Environmental Sustainability: A Case Study of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality’s Pikitup Waste Management System

Abstract

This research examines the challenges of balancing waste service delivery with environmental sustainability in the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality (hereinafter referred to as the (CoJ). To evaluate these challenges, interviews were conducted with councillors on the city’s Environmental and Infrastructure (Section 79) Committee, officials from the city’s Environment and Infrastructure Services Department (EISD), Pikitup managers, and a waste management expert. The dilemma arises from conflicting objectives: the significant initial investments required for alternative waste treatment, waste reduction, and recycling facilities clash with the need to improve waste collection and services for an increasing urban population. Moreover, in the CoJ, political dynamics influence the committee’s oversight activities: 1) short-term political priorities overshadow long-term environmental protection; 2) politicians prioritise other social needs over waste management; 3) coalition instability leads to frequent changes in leadership, disrupting the committee’s oversight of waste management; and 4) political neglect of the issue fosters a poorly managed waste cycle, resulting in inadequate services, illegal dumping, and compliance failures at landfills. The research explores how (i) decentralised waste management in CoJ, intended to create multiple reporting lines for checks and balances, has resulted in oversight paralysis, (ii) the effectiveness of the committee is constrained by insufficient oversight time in a highly technical portfolio and, (iii) there exists a knowledge gap concerning the technical aspects of waste management systems among the committee, Pikitup, and EISD. The research also finds that transitioning to a circular economy model with waste reclaimers is feasible; however, this poses challenges. The research contributes to our knowledge of the waste governance discourse and asserts that politicians must prioritise waste management to balance service delivery with environmental sustainability in urban areas.