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> dumpsSince 2004, <strong>the</strong> cuts in transfers to local government have been reversed. Centralgovernment is also investing some R24 billion nationally, up from R15 billion, throughits Municipal Infrastructure Grant programme and this is supplemented by additionalfunding for <strong>the</strong> 2010 football World Cup. This is big money but it does not reverse<strong>the</strong> neo-liberal assumptions that now frame local institutional relations and planning.To <strong>the</strong> contrary, all <strong>the</strong> major cities have adopted <strong>the</strong> ‘world class city’ slogan, whichsounds like a good thing but in fact expresses a commitment to keeping <strong>the</strong> city within<strong>the</strong> circuits of global capital. That means creating and servicing <strong>the</strong> high value locationsand infrastructure to attract corporate investors and enable top managers to link withhigh value locations in o<strong>the</strong>r global cities.For Samson, Johannesburg “provides <strong>the</strong> prototypical example” of <strong>the</strong> neo-liberal reorderingof <strong>the</strong> state [2008b: 26]. It has opted for a corporatised business model.The waste utility, Pikitup, is owned by <strong>the</strong> local state and has its own Board withoperational revenue <strong>the</strong>oretically funded from income. This has created pressure forboosting revenues and containing costs with <strong>the</strong> effect that rich areas get better serviceswhile costs are savagely cut both in poor areas and for functions such as street cleaningwhere it is not possible to secure an income. eThekwini’s John Parkins does not see itas a model to follow because, he argues, real control in fact resides with <strong>the</strong> counciland not <strong>the</strong> Board. One might conclude that <strong>the</strong> council has created a system ofplausible denial, holding power while disavowing responsibility. If this is so, however,it reproduces <strong>the</strong> national strategy of devolving responsibility to local governmentwhile holding onto authority, whe<strong>the</strong>r through <strong>the</strong> centralisation of power in <strong>the</strong>ruling party, <strong>the</strong> transmission of neo-liberalism, or <strong>the</strong> concentration of market powersupported by key departments.eThekwini and Msunduzi are still funded through <strong>the</strong> rates with no independentbilling for waste removal. O<strong>the</strong>r revenues generated – from landfill charges and CDMetc. – are returned to <strong>the</strong> municipality. This is regarded as a disincentive to innovation.Councillors, according to Parkins, generally take a short term view defined by <strong>the</strong>irfive years in office. Waste management, in contrast, involves long lead times and atwenty year planning horizon at least. He argues that a ‘business model’ which givesDSW greater autonomy of decision making would allow it to plan for <strong>the</strong> long term.uMgungundlovu’s Jogiat similarly complains that waste management in <strong>the</strong> districtdoes not have its own ‘cost centre’ and says this is a reason why information on wasteis not collected.<strong>Wasting</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Nation</strong> - groundWork - 173 -