Investigating The Effectiveness Of A Community Based Approach Towards Solid Waste Management In Windhoek’s Okahandja Park

ABSTRACT

Solid waste management is a challenge across the globe due to the increasing diversity of waste characteristics and lack of effective implementation of consistent waste policies accompanied by changing lifestyles, increased production processes and rapid urbanisation. Namibia like many other African countries is facing rapid urbanisation. This has overwhelmed the local authorities’ resources for provision of municipal solid waste management henceforth leaving the City of Windhoek grappling to find viable solutions to solid waste management problems, which is health- pollution degradation. A mixed method approach was used for gathering the data where questionnaires were used; interviews were conducted and descriptive statistics. Despite the adoption of the Open Space Street cleaning project, solid waste management in informal settlements where many of the urban poor live is still a critical problem. It has negatively affected them socially and economically. Results show that a large portion of the population perceive the five R’s of zero waste (refuse, reduce, recycle, reuse and rot) negatively. This perception is largely rooted in existing programmes provided by the City of Windhoek. The communities have played a minor role in solid waste management as a catalytic instrument in improving their environments. Poor communication, lack of skill influenced informative programmes and negative attitudes have been a problem. The solution to have strict laws on solid waste mismanagement and involve people of different social, ethnic, gender and religious groups in the reconstruction of solid waste management systems to create typical win-win situations will improve their perceptions towards solid waste.