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Environmental knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of port of Cape Town users as it pertains to waste and pollution management
Author(s)
Melato, Aupaki Michael
Date Issued
2026
Type
doctoral thesis
Publisher
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Abstract
According to the Environmental Management Department (EMD) of the Transnet National Ports Authority, South African ports are faced with numerous environmental challenges in their operations. The Port of Cape Town is not excluded from these challenges. Due to various activities conducted within the port premises and in surrounding areas, waste generation and pollution are of great concern. Environmental pollution in the Port of Cape Town is an ongoing problem that has serious implications for port operations, for the future of the port, and the surrounding environment. Without understanding the port users’ awareness, training, knowledge, attitude, perception and practices, it is likely that certain current unsustainable practices will continue, despite standards, strategies and legislation that are in place. In gaining an understanding of human behaviour towards the environment, the research findings can contribute to the development of a strategy that will address the current situation and assist in formulating the best environmental management practices in the Port of Cape Town. The objectives of the study were: to determine the awareness, training, knowledge, attitudes, perceptions and practices of port users regarding waste and pollution management; to identify the potential barriers and opportunities for the port as they pertain to waste and pollution management; to assess and evaluate the roles of relevant stakeholders (local government) other than port users in waste and pollution management in the port. The data of the study were collected using self-administered questionnaires, which were distributed to 165 managerial and 636 non-managerial employees of the TNPA, as well as purposively sampled tenants, contractors and waste licenced permit holders that are users of the Port of Cape Town. Interviews with relevant government departments were conducted. For the purpose of this explorative descriptive study, the statistical analysis was done by using the SPSS statistical package. The port users are generally aware of the port environmental conditions with a view that littering and port clean-ups were important issues that came to mind regarding waste and pollution. They were also aware of the illegal dumping taking place in the Port of Cape Town, which has a potential negative environmental impact. It therefore seems as if Transnet, as landlord, does not have a clear management strategy to address littering and the awareness of its impact in the port. There is notable awareness in terms of recycling at the workplace and the financial benefits thereof. The local government officials felt that collaboration on awareness programmes is not sufficient. Surprisingly, TNPA ranked quite low compared to the other target groups in terms of environmental training programmes. A contributing factor seemed to be the TNPA financial moratorium. For the most part, it was found that appropriate labelling of waste reception facilities for the type of waste promote waste segregation and correct disposal of waste. However, instances were found where labelling of waste reception facilities did not take place. Consequently, waste was not segregated and properly disposed of. In general, the respondents were positive across all target groups in their perception of the future of the port environment, compared to their past and present perceptions. They have shown a positive and optimistic future outlook in terms of the port environment. The majority of the ME’s and NME’s showed a positive attitude in terms of taking environmental incidents seriously and it being addressed. However, a contradiction was observed between ME's and NME’s in relation to feedback on reported environmental incidents. This may be due to several avenues of reporting that is used in the port. Furthermore, the study suggests that pollution is managed differently in different parts of the Port of Cape Town, better in some parts than others. Although respondents generally perceive that fines are enforced to manage pollution issues, many still agree that pollution management is a problem at the port. As the landlord, the Ports Authority is not empowered to issue environmental fines, and there are also unpromulgated environmental legislations related to ports. Despise these, port users showed relatively high levels of caution in terms of environmental care in their operational activities in the port. Most of the respondents indicated that they apply waste and pollution knowledge that they have learnt at work, at their homes as well. The lessons learnt from work, which were practiced by the employees at home, were, for example, waste segregation, recycling and good housekeeping. These kinds of practices can be linked to increased awareness, training, knowledge, positive attitudes and perception. Investing in continuous learning, professional development and environmental legislation is therefore important, not only for the employees’ growth but also for achieving broader objectives related to organisational success and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Although the focus of the investigation was limited to the Port of Cape Town, the lessons learnt can be constructively applied to other South African ports.
Additional information
Thesis (DPhil (Environmental Health))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2026
Subjects
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