Perceptions of youth on waste management in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract

Due to the catastrophic effects on people and the biophysical environment as a whole, waste is a subject that sparks lively discussions. Global waste management (WM) is a problem, as landfills are running out of room to store waste. This is made worse by the fact that many people view landfilling as an economical and environmentally responsible and cost-effective solution to waste disposal. South African municipalities are mandated by the country’s constitution to provide waste management as a basic service to their citizens. The gap in environmental knowledge among the youth and the old within developing countries contribute to ecological issues or waste management problems, resulting in unsustainable development, with important consequences in low-income countries. It is unclear what the factors are that influence the youth’s perceptions on WM. The research question was formulated as follows: What factors influence the youth’s perceptions on waste management in an underserved community? The aim of the study was to explore the influences that affect the youth’s perceptions on waste management in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, South Africa.As research strategy, a qualitative online survey as well as photovoicing was used. The case was the township Khayelitsha in Cape Town. The unit of analysis was the perceptions of the youth of Khayelitsha on waste management. The unit of analysis was 14 young people (18–35 years of age) of the Khayelitsha community. Non-random and conveniently selected sampling techniques were followed. For the data collection, an online semi-structured questionnaire as well as photovoicing was used. Qualitative data analysis was done on the collected data. The data were coded and summarised, and categories and themes were developed. The results show that the youth of Khayelitsha have a poor perception on waste management and that the youth has a lower than anticipated perception of their need to protect the environment. The majority of the youth who took part in this study think that the City of Cape Town and their community leaders have the primary duty of protecting their environment.There was poor WM characterised by illegal dumping and very little separation of waste for recycling. The results further showed the absence and lack of WM awareness campaigns,recycling initiatives, enforcement of waste legislation,adequate waste management services and community participation.This study contributes towards the understanding of the youth’s perceptions and could assist in reducing waste management. Increasing waste awareness among the youth has a positive impact on attitude as well as perception towards the environment. Waste awareness and education should be implemented to help inform the youth of the urgency and need to better cognize the importance of MSW disposal and its proper management for Khayelitsha residents and as global citizens.Research ethics were strictly adhered to.