AfriForum's Landfill Audit Exposes Critical Failures in South African Waste Management

A troubling report released by AfriForum has cast a spotlight on a burgeoning landfill crisis across South Africa. The nation's landfills, a vital component of its waste management system, are in a concerning state of decline, putting the environment and public health at risk.

AfriForum's latest audit analyzed the compliance of 185 municipal and 4 private landfill sites with essential waste management legislation. February's investigations involved assessing criteria such as security, infrastructure, staffing, equipment utilisation, recycling practices, and record-keeping. An 80% compliance score was set as the benchmark for passing the audit—yet, a mere 14.2% of the audited sites made the grade, a drop even from last year's low standards.

This persistently poor performance follows AfriForum's efforts, which date back to 2014, to hold municipalities accountable and push for adherence to regulations designed to shield communities and their surroundings from pollution. Despite sharing 2023's dismal findings with involved municipalities and the previous Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DBVO), concrete measures to remedy these deficiencies remain conspicuously absent.

The detailed audit raises the alarm bells louder than before: South Africa stands on the brink of a complete breakdown in responsible waste management. In response, AfriForum intends to take action. Plans are underway for a discussion with current DBVO Minister Dr. Dion George, aiming to launch a formal investigation against non-compliant municipalities and to foster much-needed partnerships between municipal bodies and the private sector. The envisaged goal is a paradigm shift wherein municipalities take on an oversight role, thus enhancing the prospects of legal compliance.

Marais de Vaal, AfriForum’s Advisor for Environmental Affairs, underlined the severity of the audit's implications, emphasizing the municipalities' apparent failure to live up to their waste management obligations. However, a note of resolve pervades AfriForum's stance. De Vaal articulates the organization's commitment to continuous monitoring of landfill sites and exploration of alternative strategies to tackle South Africa's waste management predicament head-on.