New waste management plan okayed

THE eThekwini Municipality's councillors approved the entity's Cleansing and Solid Waste (CSW) Turnaround Strategy on Monday.

- ZAINUL DAWOOD

The strategy has been developed in alignment with National Treasury's Metro Trading Services Reform Framework. The waste management directorate will change from a traditional unit to a CSW business directorate with a single point of accountability.

This will enable the executive director of the Waste Management Directorate to have the necessary responsibility and authority to improve its services and to be held accountable.

As per the requirements by National Treasury, the strategy document was coupled with the Cleansing and Solid Waste Directorate's Institutional and Governance Roadmap and the Business and Investments Plan to improve all aspects of the solid waste business.

According to the report, the institutional reforms focus on improved management and governance, while the Business and Investment Plan focused on the Waste Business Development Plan.

The Directorate is also required to develop a Performance Improvement Action Plan which is due in April 2026. The plan represents a critical opportunity not just to clean up the city, but to restore the dignity of service delivery that residents so rightly deserve, said Hlengiwe Shozi, a DA Councillor present at the council meeting.