cities

development agency) that took place between 2011 and 2014. The aim was to recycle electronic
waste by setting up collection points where citizens could drop off their old air-conditioning units,
batteries, IT equipment, etc. that had reached their end, thereby providing a source of raw materials
for small- and medium-sized recycling enterprises (GIZ, 2015). Eight e-waste collection points were
established at MTN’s high-volume repair centres countrywide. 4 In 2013, 469 tonnes of e-waste was
dropped off for processing and recycling, but this dropped to 326 tonnes in 2014 because of shifts in
citizens’ habits following the economic downturn (e.g. instead of purchasing new handsets, citizens
took existing handsets to be repaired). Other challenges included the capacity of the recycling
enterprises and a lack of clarity in relation to e-waste legislation.
Infrastructure Dialogues
The Infrastructure Dialogues bring the private sector into a conversation with government and civil
society regarding the provision of infrastructure. Initiated in 2009, the Dialogues are run by the NBI,
the Development Bank of South Africa, the SACN, the Department of Planning Monitoring and
Evaluation in the Presidency, the Economic Development Department and Cremer Media’s Engineering
News. The purpose of the Dialogues is “building awareness of the problems and opportunities
presented by widening access to public infrastructure” (Infrastructure Dialogues, 2015: 2). The
Dialogues provide a platform for building trust and a common understanding among stakeholders
through discussions that cover a range of focus areas (Figure 8.3).
Figure 8.3: Summary of key Infrastructure Dialogues themes discussed 2012–2015
1
2
3
4
1. Legislation and planning
• Establish the right governance
frameworks
• Integrate development
strategies
• Ensure practical implementation
• Improve knowledge and
appropriate skills
• Allocate funds effectively
• Integrate funding model
• Encourage private sector
participation
2. Roles and responsibilities
• Ensure clarity on roles and
responsibilities
• Improve understanding of
realities and mandates
• Define responsibilities
• Ensure effective management
tools
• Ensure right qualifications and
experience
• Build coherence and integration
3. Participation and
partnership
• Improve private sector
involvement
• Encourage PPPs
• Foster relationship between
public and private sectors
• Ensure understanding of
requirements
• New financing structures and
instruments
4. Implementation and
maintenance
• Enhance leadership
• Focus on long-term benefits
vs short-term gains
• Improve understanding of the
importance of maintenance
• Address prioritisation issues
• Allocate funds effectively
• Improve technical skills
• Enhance management
capability
Source: Infrastructure Dialogues (2015: 3)
4 https://www.mtn.com/sustainability/ecoresponsibility/pages/ewaste.aspx
292 State of South African Cities Report 2016