Wasting the Nation.indd - Groundwork
Wasting the Nation.indd - Groundwork
Wasting the Nation.indd - Groundwork
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Chapter 6: Down at <strong>the</strong> dumpsWhere things go next is not yet clear. Given <strong>the</strong> failure of <strong>the</strong> project, Zikode thinksit may be best if <strong>the</strong> site cleaners are made permanent municipal employers andunionised. In time, however, this is likely to erode Kennedy Road’s monopoly on thosejobs. Now <strong>the</strong> community’s hopes for more jobs – and for a monopoly of jobs – willclearly inform its participation in <strong>the</strong> EIA for <strong>the</strong> proposed transfer station. It seemspossible that <strong>the</strong> tensions between organising in <strong>the</strong> work place and organising in <strong>the</strong>community will re-emerge in this context.The transfer station is opposed by people in Clare Estate. Never<strong>the</strong>less, both Zikodeand Edwards report an improved relationship which seems to be based on <strong>the</strong> twocommunities beginning to recognise <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r. On <strong>the</strong> one hand, Edwards notes <strong>the</strong>importance that Kennedy Road people attach to livelihoods. On <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r, Zikoderemarks that “this environmental language is not our language” but, living next to <strong>the</strong>dump, people now understand about recycling and also recognise <strong>the</strong> concerns aboutcancers. But while Edwards sees acceptance that <strong>the</strong> dump will close as critical to anew harmony, Zikode remarks that “we had to have <strong>the</strong> stronger voice” to support<strong>the</strong> transfer station through <strong>the</strong> EIA. It remains to be seen whe<strong>the</strong>r promises are keptwhen <strong>the</strong> project is operational.Rival authority: uMgungundlovu and MsunduziuMgungundlovu District Council was brought into being in 2000 when South Africademarcated new municipalities to cover <strong>the</strong> whole country for <strong>the</strong> first time. It sprawlsacross a large part of <strong>the</strong> KwaZulu-Natal midlands, includes seven local municipalitiesand centres on <strong>the</strong> city of Pietermaritzburg which is presided over by <strong>the</strong> MsunduziLocal Municipality. Msunduzi has recently announced its ambition to become ametropolitan municipality, a move which re-opens <strong>the</strong> question of <strong>the</strong> demarcation ofboundaries and also deepens <strong>the</strong> shadow over an already clouded relation between <strong>the</strong>district and local municipality.Waste statistics for <strong>the</strong> area are highly uncertain. The figures below are based onuMgungundlovu’s IWMP produced in 2004. It calculates domestic waste frompopulation data but <strong>the</strong> assumptions for per capita waste seem low: it attributes 0.61kg per day to middle and high income groups, 0.3 kg to low income urban groups,and 0.03 kg to low income peri-urban and rural groups.<strong>Wasting</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Nation</strong> - groundWork - 151 -