Contents
of February 2006
EDITORIAL
A new term of office, a new set of
promises
UPFRONT
INSPIRATION
ICLEI Cape Town
World Congress goes eco-friendly
INSULT
‘Calming’
measures upset the community
PLANNING PERSONALITY
Sithole Mbanga:
Putting SA’s cities on the road to prosperity
BATTLE OF THE ‘BURBS
Oubaai v Herold’s Bay
FEATURES
Urban renewal in Motherwell
Moving FMCG along ‘green’
lines
IT industry – the
fastest growing waste stream
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EDITORIAL
A new term of office, a new set of
promises
By the time
you read this, the December holidays are probably a distant memory and looming deadlines
for tenders and budgets and projects have become a day-to-day reality. In terms of the
management of our urban environment, 2006 is an important year, as the local government
elections are scheduled for March 1 2006.
Although
municipal elections do not draw the numbers that national elections do, the impact on the
daily lives of citizens should not be underestimated. Development practitioners, which
form Urban Green File’s readership, are even more affected by the choices made by the
ballot. In March 2006 a new term of office starts for a new group of councillors. And a
new term of office imply a new set of promises. All decisions at the local level that are
pending could potentially be sent back to the drawing board. The need to have a set term
of office is nonnegotiable and part of the complicated practice of politics. But, to be
fair (and I am sure our readership can vouch for this), five years is not a very long time
for implementation at the local level. The negative result of this positive measure is
that the system encourages councillors to focus on short-tomedium term solutions. Little
room is left for visionary leadership. And council employees are often required to
re-invent the wheel.
The point
is, the local government elections are far more important (especially for our profession)
than what ordinary citizens perceive it to be. The partial solution for making the best of
these five-year terms in office is not only to get people to vote in the local elections,
but also to get them interested in local politics and to get them involved in what is
happening in their neighbourhoods and their cities.
In this
edition, we visit Cape Town, looking at a new initiative for establishing quality open
spaces on the Cape Flats (page 34). Construction has started on Woolworth’s massive
new distribution centre in Midrand. Innovative principles of green design have been
implemented on a scale that has not really been evident in South Africa up to now (page 28).
Two
important conferences are coming up in February and March, both in Cape Town. I look
forward to meeting you at the ICLEI World Congress at the end of February and at the
Planning Africa 2006 congress in March. We will be giving feedback of the proceedings in
upcoming editions.
Our next
edition, the April 2006 edition will be Urban Green File’s 10th anniversary edition.
You can look
forward to reading the story of our magazine – people, places and ideas as well as
highlights of the past 10 years. We will also be launching a brand new readers’
competition. Not to be missed! - Engela Meyer
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UPFRONT
Moving towards an eco-friendly lifestyle
Going Green,
a company aimed at empowering the South African population with information and knowledge
on environmentally friendly and energy conserving ideas is looking to set up an Eco-Centre
in Port Elizabeth. Currently at the end of the planning phase and rounding off the market
research for the Eco-Centre, the management team of Going Green, namely Dr Eunete
Schumacher and Mr Simon Schumacher, hope to have a location and a construction plan for
the centre ready by the end of 2006.
The team
members, both of which have scientific backgrounds, are interested in the useful
application of science to everyday life, especially with regard to the practical role that
science can play in enhancing the quality of life of individuals. The centre, which will
showcase, among other things, various types of building materials and ways to make the
structures energy efficient and sustainable, will provide a platform for the ideals of
Going Green to be more accessible to the general public. “I think people generally
want to live more ecofriendly lives,” says Dr Eunete
Schumacher,
“they just need an environment where they can have access to ideas and options which
will enable them to lead such a lifestyle.”
The Going
Green Eco-Centre will also, in time, boast a variety of functional hands-on displays,
including: renewable energy displays; gardening and composting displays; eco-friendly
buildings; alternative building techniques; water conservation displays; eco-friendly
water-treatment systems; information and displays about energy efficiency measures and
devices; information and displays about other environmental issues; information and
displays about environmental or green projects.
“Great
cities are planned, they do not just happen.”
With these words the Western Cape Minister for Development Planning, Tasneem Essop,
invites planning practitioners from across the globe to attend Planning Africa 2006 in
Cape Town from March 22 to 24 2006. Planning Africa provides an opportunity to review the
role careful planning has already played, and can continue to play, in generating urban
and rural environments that offer quality living to all people. A student congress and
technical tour will form part of the proceedings.
The themes
that will come under discussion include local needs in a globalising world, planning and
communities, rural and urban, resources and poverty and marginalisation.
A large and
diverse group of papers form part of the governance and development sub-theme. They have
been grouped further under specific areas of focus: transport, housing, heritage,
institutions, finance and private partnerships. Among the questions to be addressed with
respect to transport are: what institutional framework is needed to make local level
planning effective in overcoming South Africa’s dual transport system, whereby the
poor depend on degraded public services and the wealthy on private cars? How are commuting
patterns changing in response to the urban restructuring experienced in the post-apartheid
period? Or in Nigeria, how has the Mass Urban Transport System fared since first
implemented in 1987? On the environmental sub-theme the changing relationship between the
“environmental protection” and “land use planning” systems in South
Africa will be discussed. Most importantly how do these manage to bring on board issues of
cultural heritage? CBDs are becoming ever more prominent in policy debate and several
papers will address them, thus: How can planning help revitalise CBDs in a way that the
excluded majority benefits?
What has
caused Durban’s CBD to remain so influential despite three decades of regional
shopping centres?
The session
dealing with the past, present and the future has a collection of papers considering
theoretical themes such as: what does “chaotic urban growth” have in common with
“regulated urban decline”? Another asks: what implications are there for
planners when they take seriously the idea that “differences” between people is
more pervasive than “commonalities”?
Since social
networks are such a strong feature of survival in Africa, what are the prospects for
Africa in a new communications age?
Another of
the sub-themes is planning and disasters. Zambia lacks adequate disaster response
mechanisms which have led to unnecessary loss of capital investments and lives. A set of
remedies will be put forward. These could hold lessons also for other parts of the world
where global disasters are being seen more frequently.
However,
planning itself has had some disastrous outcomes, such as in the Durban South Basin, as
will be explained.
A move towards
cheaper home ownership
Home
ownership in the lower income bracket of South Africa received aboost in January 2006 when
the mayor of eThekwini Municipality, Obed Mlaba, announced a massive discount on council
flats in Durban. The decision is expected to open the door to home-ownership for some 60
000 residents living in statefinanced housing throughout the city.
The
purchases who fall into the correct bracket (a household income of less the R1 500 per
month) will receive discounts of up to R31 929 on the selling price of their homes.
Tenants whose purchase price is below R32 000 will receive their homes free. The indigent,
pensioners and disabled will also stand to benefit from the proposed discounts.
The
municipality will embark on a sales campaign this year to promote the new option of home
ownership to South African citizens who have been struggling with the problem of rent for
years. BuaNews
ICLEI World
Congress 2006
From Monday
27 February to Friday 3 March 2006, the ICLEI World Congress will be taking place in Cape
Town, South Africa. Hosting this event will be a first for the Southern Hemisphere, and
the impact and opportunities that the congress represent for the hemisphere, the continent
of Africa as a whole, and South Africa in particular, are far reaching and exciting. This
year’s congress is entitled: “Out of Africa: Local Solutions for Global
Challenges.”
The
congress, which has been implemented in order to create a platform for discussion and
debate centering on local strategies for sustainability between cities and local
governments worldwide and, especially, in Africa, will also be used to assess progress
made by local governments in implementing the Millennium Development Goals and the
Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (2002). The congress, which will be attended by ICLEI
member local governments and United Nations agencies, governments, financing institutions,
donors, businesses and NGOs among others, will also be used to adopt ICLEI’s
Strategic Plan 2007 – 2012 (the “Cape Town” plan).
The central
themes to be examined by the congress in a variety of discussions, debates, presentations
and hands-on experience of practical Cape Town life include: protecting global common
goods; building sustainable communities and cities; and instruments for implementation.
Within the
listed themes, specific topics which will be focused on over the five day congress
include: Climate; sustainable water resources; biodiversity; local agendas for sustainable
cities; resilient communities and cities; just, peaceful and secure communities; viable
local economies; ambitious cities; sustainable mobility; eco-efficient cities;
sustainability management; and sustainable procurement.
It is
expected that over 600 senior representatives from local governments and associations will
convene for the conference.
Avoiding the
threat of money for nothing
The recent
outcry over municipal managers in the KwaZulu-Natal province being awarded exorbitant
bonuses has pushed Housing, Local Government and Traditional Affairs MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu
to review the current salary packages.
Mabuyakhulu
has said that in order to ensure the situation is not repeated, in future quarterly, half
year and annual assessments on the performances of municipal managers will be conducted.
Bonuses will
only be awarded when there is tangible evidence of improvement within the municipal
manager’s jurisdiction.
“We don’t
want a situation whereby huge sums are paid while the municipality is clearly not showing
signs of progress,” said Mabuyakhulu. “As the department we are mandated by law
to monitor and intervene on matters at local government level when there are problems, we
are not against the remuneration of managers but what we want is the value which they add.”
City steps up
bush clearing with new coordinating unit
Crime,
depravity and the dodgy dealings of the underworld while often visible in daylight, do
their best work in the dark, or under cover. To this end, a new coordinating unit was
launched in October 2005 within the City of Cape Town to spearhead ongoing bush clearing
in high-risk crime areas across the city.
While it is
gratifying to see some concrete steps being taken, Executive Mayor, Nomaindia Mfeketo has
acknowledged the fact that, “Criminals kill people, not bushes. Bush clearing in
itself will not solve all crime.“
The City’s
Parks Department has also, as part of its operations, been clearing bush in several
suburbs around the city.
The bush
areas consist mainly of Port Jackson trees, an invasive, fast-growing and water-thirsty
alien tree.
Cash for clean
cities
The cleanest
towns in the country received awards for ensuring hygienic environments in their
jurisdictions from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism in November 2005.
Minister
Marthinus van Schalkwyk honoured winners and runners-up in two categories of local and
metropolitan councils.
Winners
among 144 entries, eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality of KwaZulu-Natal and BaPhalaborwa
Local Municipality in Limpopo walked away with R1-million each.
First
runners-up Overstrand Local Municipality in the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape’s
Nelson Mandela Metro scooped R750 000 each, with Naledi Local Municipality in the Free
State and the City of Cape coming in at third place.
The
competition is part of government’s drive to implement the National Waste Management
Strategy, which is aimed at reducing waste generation and disposal by 50% and 20%
respectively by 2012.
Gautrain going in
a new direction?
The ever
changing concept for the proposed Gautrain which, with disturbing fluidity, changes almost
weekly faced proposed changes to the initial route alignment at the end of 2005. With the
possibility of route changes came another round of environmental investigations and public
consultations. Part of this process entailed the development of an Initial Works
Environmental Management Plan (IWEMP). This plan caters for a limited list of construction
activities in order to aim for commencement for particular activities at specific
locations (tunnel entrances and portals and the maintenance yard) in early 2006.
Felehetsa
Environmental was responsible for independent environmental consultation to the Gauteng
Department of Public Transport, Roads and Works to undertake the necessary environmental
investigations on the proposed route variant alignments to the Gautrain alignment, as well
as the public participation process for the EMP.
Similarly,
Bohlweki Environmental was appointed to carry out the environmental investigations on the
Rhodesfield to JIA route variant alignment and the minor route amendments to the approved
alignment on the remainder of the route.
Regarding
the proposed route variant alignments and minor amendments, a series of public meetings
were held towards the end of January 2006 in Sandton, Centurion and Tshwane, at which the
results of various specialist studies were presented.
Climate change
and wealth creation
The most
important asset of most developing countries – their land resources – is
distinctly at risk from climate change, according to the new measure of wealth figures
reported in a new World Bank publication, Where is the Wealth of Nations? Measuring
Capital for the 21st Century, officially launched at the United Nations’ Climate
Change Conference in Montreal at the end of 2005.
According to
the report current indicators used to guide development decisions – national accounts
figures, such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – ignore depletion of resources and
damage to the environment. In Where is the Wealth of Nations, the World Bank offers new
estimates of total wealth, including produced capital, natural resources and the value of
human skills and capabilities, which show that many of the poorest countries in the world
are not on a sustainable path.
According to
the new publication, “Excluding oil states, natural resources make up 25% of the
total wealth of low income countries, much larger than the 16% share of produced capital.
By far the largest component of natural wealth in these countries is land.
It is
precisely this wealth that is highly at risk from climate change.”
For example,
a 2,5°C rise in average temperature could decrease the net returns to cropland by
US$16-billion each year in Sub-Saharan Africa – if this loss continued year after
year, it would represent more than 50% of the current value of cropland in Sub-Saharan
Africa, according to the report.
The 7th
Millennium Development Goal (MDG) – ensure environmental sustainability – calls
on countries to “reverse the losses of environmental resources” by 2015.
Achieving this goal has proven to be elusive for most countries, not least because of a
lack of indicators of sustainable development.
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INSPIRATION
ICLEI Cape Town World Congress
goes eco-friendly
In
a day and age when everything is faster, better, less hassle, and more environmentally
damaging, it is gratifying to see a positive step back against the grain and a concerted
effort being made towards environmental wellbeing. By Jessica Farley
‘Greening’,
a new phenomenon that is starting to make progress in the world of international events,
has hit South African shores in a big way and is all set to make a positive environmental
impact in February 2006, at the ICLEI World Congress 2006, to be held in Cape Town. ‘Greening’,
a concept which can basically be defined as making a conference more environmentally
friendly and energy efficient, is of paramount importance, considering the excessive
strain that a mass of people entering a city can put on the available natural resources.
The purpose
of embarking on ‘greening’ is two fold. Firstly, it is to reduce waste, use of
landfill area, consumption of resources and production of pollutants, and, secondly, these
sustainable environmental practices will ultimately prove to be more cost effective, and,
therefore, a better business idea. After the congress, a ‘Lesson Learned Report’
will be drawn up to monitor the relative success or failure and from this, positive steps
can be made in the right direction.
An added
focus of ‘greening’ a congress is community benefit. Over the past 18 months,
all international ICLEI meetings have levied a carbon tax and, for the congress in Cape
Town, the carbon tax has been included in the congress fee. The carbon tax is a payment to
off-set the massive carbon emissions caused by planes and cars the funding that has been
gathered thus far will go towards financing an internationally recognized local Clean
Development Mechanism (CDM) project in Cape Town, called the Kuyasa Low Income Urban
Housing Energy Upgrade Project.
The Kuyasa
CDM Project will see approximately 2 300 houses retrofitted with solar water heaters,
ceilings with insulation and energy efficient lighting in the form of compact fluorescent
lightbulbs (CFLs).
Focus has
also been brought onto the accommodation for people attending the conference. Although all
attendees won’t be staying in the hotels which have attempted to reach a ‘greening’
level, the ball has been set in motion for continued environmentally friendly operations
in five hotels in Cape Town, namely: The Holiday Inn Waterfront; Arabella Sheraton Grand
Hotel;
The Tulbagh;
and The Tudor. These five hotels, initially part of a group of eight that the team hoped
to get on board, have energy. From these audits, quick fixes as well as long term
solutions have been drawn up and outlined for each hotel’s specific areas that need
to be adjusted. As well as the hotels, the Cape Town International Convention Centre
(CTICC) has also bought into the greening spirit, and has gone through the audit process.
Parameters
have also been outlined for ‘greening’ exhibiting, and brochures have been
dispensed to all involved in the exhibitions, outlining these parameters. In the case of
the ICLEI World Congress 2006, exhibitors are encouraged to “reduce, reuse and
recycle”.
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INSULT
‘Calming’ measures
upset the community
The local
government elections are coming up in March 2006 and issues of responsibility,
accountability and decisionmaking procedures will be topping the agenda. A recent incident
in the posh neighbourhood of Waterkloof illustrates the difficulties with decision-making
and accountability at the local level.
With
unprecedented development taking place in the east of Pretoria, residents of Waterkloof
have been complaining about the increase in traffic in their neighbourhood, as motorists
take shortcuts by using neighbourhood streets such as Albert and Julius Jeppe Streets.
Over the years the introduction of traffic calming measures such as speed humps and mini
circles have not solved the problem. The Waterkloof Residents’ Association kept up
negotiations with the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality and finally got the
council to agree to construct single lane chokers near the eastern entrance of Albert and
Julius Jeppe Streets in April 2003. However, as no money was available on the City’s
budget, the plans were postponed indefinitely.
However, the
active residents’ association managed to raise R117 000 and in November 2005 the
Roads and Stormwater division of the City of Tshwane started with construction, which
entailed that Albert Street be narrowed to a single lane with stop signs on both sides.
Motorists are then supposed to drive through one-by-one.
This all
seemed fine in theory, but the bottleneck created by these choker lanes resulted in an
outcry from Tshwane residents with numerous letters written to local newspapers and the
council. Apparently huge traffic jams occurred and residents of Albert Street even
complained that they could not sleep at night, due to motorists hooting and swearing about
the choker lanes.
As usual,
people complained that they were not consulted. Others were asking since when do
Waterkloof roads belong to Waterkloof residents? Motorists complained of being delayed for
as long as seven minutes. The number of complaints forced the mayor, Father Smangaliso
Mkhatshwa to visit the site in the middle of December 2005 and he eventually gave the
instruction that the chokers be removed.
The problem
remains, so it is evident that an insult is in order, but it is not clear who should be
insulted in this instance. Did the council consult wide enough? Who should they consult
with? Were all other options exhausted? Is it within the mayor’s mandate to make
on-the-spot decisions such as this one? Is it a question of a wealthy residents’
association bullying the council into doing things that will benefit only them? Should
residents make peace with the fact that there are downsides to living in a growing city?
This is
probably a symptom of a much bigger problem of urban sprawl and planning-gone-wrong. But
it also highlights issues of decision-making and urban management that need to be
addressed.
-----
PLANNING PERSONALITY
Putting SA’s cities on
the road to prosperity
Established
three years ago in order to facilitate the exchange of information between cities, the
South African Cities Network (SACN) is about to release its second ‘State of South
African Cities’ document. Sarah-Leigh Paul spoke to CEO Sithole Mbanga about the
progress of the SACN since its inception and his views on urban planning.
With the
2006 local elections rapidly approaching, the SACN is frantically putting finishing
touches on its ‘State of South African Cities’ document. The document was
initially scheduled to be released in April 2006, but with the elections taking place on
March 1 2006, the SACN has decided to delay its release until mid year. This is in order
to give new counsellors time to adjust to their positions. The objective of the document
is to give a concise overview of the state of South Africa’s cities helping local
governments to run each city more efficiently and providing case studies from which
municipalities can draw vital knowledge. The document is a collaboration of extensive work
done by reference groups across the country. The document will help those moving into
leadership positions after the local elections, to have a smoother transition into the
running of the city, by providing essential information on economic development,
productivity and sustainability.
The document
is also aimed at stakeholders giving them a vital look into the state of each city.
“The
main objective of the SACN is to pick up trends in urban areas and learn lessons from
them, either good or bad,” explains Mbanga. “We then seek to replicate the good
and ensure that the bad is not replicated.” The SACN is seen as a facilitator in
providing such knowledge to municipalities to ensure the smooth and effective running of
South Africa’s cities.
The
information is gathered by a group of dedicated individuals who analyse and assess each
city documenting different aspects, which will ultimately benefit the development of the
country’s cities.
Reference groups
The reference groups seek to analyse South Africa’s cities and through
this process build up a wealth of knowledge. There are four reference groups which look at
different aspects of each city. These groups are composed of subject matter practitioners
that are employed in each of the member cities of the SACN. The first focuses on economic
development and the productivity of the city. The second group looks at sustainability
both economically and environmentally.
The third
group focuses on the city as a whole and the people within it, assessing whether every
citizen has access to their basic human rights, such as water and shelter. And finally the
fourth group looks at the good governance of the city, focusing on issues of transparency
among the decision-making individuals. The reference groups meet four times a year to
discuss the state of the cities, putting all their knowledge together in order to give a
concise overview of each city.
The nine
member municipalities, which include Buffalo City, City of Cape Town, Ekurhuleni, City of
eThekwini, City of Johannesburg, Mangaung, Msunduzi, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan and the
City of Tshwane provide much of the information collected by the organisation.
However,
Mbanga assures that the organization goes beyond this with areas not falling under these
municipalities still benefiting from the process and having access to the information
acquired.
Facing up to the problems
“The last three years have been a learning curve for us,” admits
Mbanga. “We had high expectations of municipalities providing us with information
about the running of their cities and the projects they are involved in.” Mbanga
explains that from day one it was presumed that officials would have time to file lengthy
documents about the running of their cities. This was however not to be the case. “We
have found over the last few years that officials do not have time to document the
required information and we are thus losing out on vital information, lessons are being
lost that could benefit many other municipalities.”
This has
been a major hindrance for the organisation and according to Mbanga was a fatal assumption
for the organization to make. The SACN has thus made the documenting of information the
main focus for 2006.
“We
have had to reassess how we will obtain much of this information and document it for
publication purposes,” says Mbanga. The organisation is now looking to employ writers
over and above the reference groups, who will sit with officials and document the running
of the municipalities.
“This
will be done in a professional manner by journalists allowing the documents to be
published in journals during the course of the year.” The SACN is planning to create
an extensive library that will be accessible to all parties requiring information about
the state of South Africa’s cities.
Funding
This is not to say the organisation has not made progress. “It is hard to
assess our progress as we do not do the practical hands-on work but the evaluation,”
admits Mbanga. However the organisation, which is self-funded by the nine member
municipalities, has taken the involvement of outside private funders as an indication of
the progress of its work. “We are essentially a self-funded organisation, but over
the years more and more private organisations have offered their support and we see this
as an indication of their faith in us.” The organization also receives funding from
the national Department of Provincial and Local Government.
But who benefits?
“We aim our documents at the practitioners within each municipality with
the hope that the information they gain from us will then trickle down and benefit the
citizens who fall under each municipality,” explains Mbanga. In a sense the
practitioners are thus benefiting from the information the organisation provides to them,
but it is the municipality as a whole who reaps the rewards in the long run. “By
helping the municipality we are trying to help all of its citizens.” The SACN tries
to ensure that officials have the means to face all challenges they encounter. “Each
municipality has its own problems but by giving the relevant information to the other
cities we are helping to overcome these challenges. There are clear lessons to be learnt
from the running of each municipality and by providing this information we allow officials
to find innovative ways to solve their own problems, allowing for a better run city for
all involved.”
The new South Africa
requires new planning
Mbanga sees the SACN as a vital source of information for all urban planners.
By documenting cities it quickly becomes obvious what is working and what is drastically
wrong. An issue of great importance personally to Mbanga is turning South Africa’s
cities into non-segregated, multi-racial environments.
Unfortunately
over the past 12 years this has been a widely talked about topic, but not much has
happened, which to Mbanga is unacceptable. The studies that have come out of each city
have further highlighted the problems caused by the apartheid regime’s urban
planning.
“This
is one of the most important aspects that local governments need to look at,” states
Mbanga.
“At
present it feels and looks like we are strengthening the apartheid regime planning by
placing low cost housing at the fringe of the cities where residents feel like they are
still segregated from the other communities. We have yet to enhance the lives of ordinary
people who are still suffering from apartheid planning.”
Mbanga is of
the opinion that if these citizens are asked if they are connected to their city they will
say no. This is because they are placed on the outskirts of society and they thus still
see their rural homes as where they belong. “The problem arising from this is that
they are thus not productive citizens of either the city or the rural area. They are not
happy with their city lives but are no longer contributing within their rural areas.”
Mbanga states that if housing was provided within cities close to working environments
they could be turned into 24-hour cities. This would mean more shifts, therefore more
jobs. Workers would have shorter commutes and thus be more productive. “We need to
turn around our present planning strategies and facilitate for the people who need us, the
people who are facing a constant battle.” The built environment is not catering for
this presently and that seriously needs to be addressed.
Mbanga also
feels that such developments will help the running of cities. Cities that are bordered by
large rural areas are problematic to municipalities as all citizens demand the same
services.
This leads
to high costs and longer working hours in order to get the same services that urban
dwellers are experiencing to the surrounding rural areas. “By expanding our cities to
facilitate those on the fringe of urban and rural areas these cities can be more
efficiently run,” Mbanga believes. “The question is, do the designers realise
that the focus of city planning needs to also incorporate the underprivileged and not just
corporations and the designing of skyscrapers? We need to move forward into this mindset.”
“In
order for proper city planning to occur we need to know what drives the city, what is the
economic life?” Mbanga stresses that municipalities and city planners need to
question what investment can be brought into a city to sustain it. For some it will be
better housing for the people, for others it will be educational institutions or airports.
“These need to become important questions for local governments to ask.”
It does not
stop here however, according to Mbanga, if South Africa’s cities are not globally
competitive they will not prosper and grow. However, in order to be globally competitive,
cities need to be interdependent. “Municipalities need to realise that by working
together they are benefiting their own cities. For example the port of Durban is in a
sense the port of Gauteng, if municipalities within these two areas do not work together
neither will function properly.”
As CEO of
SACN Mbanga is trying to ensure that South Africa’s cities are given the information
required to help them function on an international scale, provide for their citizens and
create a strong and sustainable economy that will help grow each city and thus South
Africa as a whole.
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BATTLE OF THE ‘BURBS
Oubaai v Herold’s Bay
The
southern Cape coast has seen a lot of development in recent years, especially the
establishment of so-called golf estates and gated communities. Engela Meyer visited the
new Oubaai golf estate and compared it to adjacent Herold’s Bay, an established and
quaint seaside village and holiday spot.
In December
2005 the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
launched their “Guidelines for Golf Courses, Golf Estates, Polo Fields and Polo
Estates in the Western Cape”. According to the document the Western Cape has, for a
number of years, experienced a notable increase in development pressure, which included
the increased investment in the high-end section of the property market, especially golf
and polo estates. These guidelines define an “estate” as “land containing
residences usually developed in relation to significant open space, the latter which may
(or may not) include other lower intensity land uses such as recreation, golf courses or
polo fields”. The aim of the document is to provide guidelines to developers and
decisionmaking bodies. The purpose, apparently, is not to discourage golf estate
developments, but to manage these developments in such a way as to promote economic
development and investment, protect and maintain natural resources and biodiversity,
support and enhance bioregional planning in the province and support the implementation of
sustainable development principles.
Developers
are further encouraged to explore environmentally friendly technologies or so-called green
building technologies.
The coast,
especially areas with natural splendour has always attracted holiday makers. But these new
estate-type developments differ from traditional seaside resorts. In this edition’s
battle of the ‘burbs we compare Oubaai with Herold’s Bay.
Located next
to each other, the one is a seaside village that has been in existence for ages, while the
other is a newly developed golfing estate. To inform the discussion, principles contained
in the mentioned guideline document were used to evaluate development in both these
suburbs of George Local Municipality.
Land use
Oubaai: 7
•
High-income
•
Residential
•
Dormitory and holiday
function
•
Range of residential
options
•
Retail activities
•
Sports and leisure
Covering about 287 ha of land, Oubaai is bordered by the Indian Ocean in the south, the
Gwaing River to the north and east, and three privately owned farms (currently under
rezoning application for development rights) to the south west and north west of the site.
There are a total of 322 stands, arranged around an 18-hole Ernie Elsdesigned golf course,
ranging in size from just under 1 000 m² to almost 2 000 m².
As the
estate is intended to cater for a certain lifestyle, a variety of services are provided
through mixed land use. In terms of the betterment agreement with George Municipality,
Oubaai had to incorporate a retail node, as no such facility exists in Herold’s Bay.
Shops are not open yet, but will be accommodated in the vicinity of the recently
established Oubaai Village. Construction of the Oubaai International Hotel will commence
in 2006 and negotiations are still taking place between the developers and the proposed
international hotel operator. The golf course is complemented by a clubhouse, restaurant
and designer pro-golf shop.
A variety of
residential options are provided for. The Oubaai Village offers 128 luxury-one, two and
three bedroom apartments, while the rest of the stands are intended for single residential
dwellings. Only time will tell whether owners will use their houses for full-time
residential or holiday purposes.
Herold’s Bay: 7
•
Single residential
•
Medium to high in come
•
Mostly holiday
function
The first houses in Herold’s Bay were built in approximately 1895. Herold’s Bay
Heights, or Herold’s Bay Extension 2, as it is also known, was laid out in 1972.
This also
introduced water and electricity to the seaside village. There is not much variety in the
land-uses as it predominantly comprises of single residential dwelling units. These
holiday homes are built to make optimal use of their property and are mostly at least two
storeys high to optimise ocean views.
There are
very few guesthouses and in 2005 the little town’s only hotel was demolished to make
space for new luxury apartments. One small restaurant is located on the top of the hill in
Herold’s Bay Heights and a café catering for daily bread and milk needs is located
at the entrance to the town.
Accessibility
Oubaai: 8
•
Close to George
airport
•
Accessible from N2
•
Good access roads
Herold’s Bay and Oubaai are about 18 km from George. The existing tar road from the
George airport to Herold’s Bay was completed in 1958.
The close
vicinity of the golf estate to the George airport has contributed to the attractiveness of
the development, especially to international investors. The easy access to the N2 also
proved to be valuable. WBHO was responsible for the new divisional road from the existing
main provincial road up to Herold’s Bay Heights, the access road from the divisional
road to the estate entrance and the traffic circle. Access roads within the estate seem to
be fine, but are at this stage obviously not used to capacity.
Herold’s Bay: 6
•
Close to George
airport
•
Accessible from N2
•
Single access road
•
Traffic problems in
peak periods
There is only one access road into Herold’s Bay. The road splits and the town
basically consist of a few rows of houses adjacent to this road. In peak holiday periods
traffic flow and parking become a major problem. Day visitors to the beach compete with
the residents for parking. Residents in many cases do not have parking on site and are
dependent on public parking spaces.
As a result,
and possibly because the little town is mainly a summer holiday resort, pedestrian traffic
is catered for through proper pavements, traffic calming measures and street furniture.
Development potential
Oubaai: 8
•
Established
development attracts investors
•
Mixed use development
•
Land is expensive
•
Coordinated
development through a single development company
Big money has been invested in the Oubaai development. Developers and main
contractors, Kharafi Holdings has invested some R450-million in the Oubaai development,
excluding the proposed 100-bed hotel. “George Municipality also required substantial
betterment contributions prior to approval which involved bulk water (a new water
reservoir for Oubaai and Herold’s Bay) and sewerage, electricity and road access
– not only for Oubaai but to service existing and anticipated adjacent developments.”
Oubaai general manager Richard Browning told sister journal Civil Engineering Contractor.
Stand prices start at around R1-million, going up to R7,5-million. As is the case with
many developments of this kind, a number of stand owners are probably investors, planning
to sell the property at a profit within the next five years.
Herold’s Bay: 5
•
Land availability is
limited, therefore expensive
•
Lack of supporting
land uses
Interest in Herold’s Bay has grown over the past decade and prices have soared. Due
to the fact that there are only a limited number of stands available, older family seaside
homes were bought and demolished to make space for impressive new holiday homes. Herold’s
Bay’s walking distance from the beach contributes to its exclusivity, but the lack of
other retail and entertainment facilities might discourage some investors.
Community and sense of
place
Oubaai: 5
•
Sense of place still
lacking
•
Design guidelines
Developed as an estate, Oubaai has extensive design guidelines that have to be adhered to
in any construction. The design style of Oubaai Village is referred to as “Coastal
Contemporary” and is described as having a strong link to the landscape with stone
and wood featuring prominently.
Four
different architects were used for the Village and all their different designs were mixed
together.
As the
development is still in its infancy, a “sense of place” has yet to be
established.
All
operations of the estate will be managed in-house and an estate manager has been
appointed. The homeowners’ association seems to be active and has a constitution and
extensive estate rules.
Herold’s Bay: 9
•
Quaint character
•
Seasonal occupation
•
Eyes on the street
Herold’s Bay has a strong sense of community as houses are very close to
one another and people move around on foot. However, this community exists only for two
months of the year. Herold’s Bay Heights has more permanent residents, but still, the
majority of the houses are empty throughout the year.
In terms of
design and architecture, the George Municipality needs to look into the revision and/or
more stringent application of design by-laws. Houses are often built to maximize ocean
views or holiday accommodation without considering neighbours or the visual and other
impacts on the rest of the town.
Environment
Herold’s Bay: 7
•
Precious biodiversity
of the area
•
Sensitive planning and
management
Browning says that 13% of the Oubaai site is on environmentally sensitive land and special
measures have been introduced to conform to stringent environmental requirements,
particularly with regard to water usage, the management of irrigation systems and the
dispersal of fertilizers and nutrients to maintain the golf course.
The Western
Cape guidelines requires development that will not result in or contribute to visually
obtrusive or “ribbon” development along the coastline, cliffs and ridges,
mountains and/or rivers. As only a few of the Oubaai stands have been developed at this
stage, it is not clear whether these guidelines will be adhered to, but there are only a
few ocean view stands available, so the impact will hopefully be limited.
Oubaai: 7
•
Precious biodiversity
of the area
•
Visual pollution
•
Development pressure
Some pristine hiking trails are popular attractions in the area, but the development
pressure will remain as landowners attempt to utilise every single square meter of their
property.
Conclusion
Oubaai: 35 (out of a possible 50)
Herold’s Bay: 33
The developers of the Oubaai golf estate make continuous reference to an ideal
lifestyle and way of living, but the question remains whether the southern Cape coast will
really be able to sustain this kind of living. The Garden Route has been known as a
holiday destination, with at best a place where people come for retirement.
It is not
one of the economic hubs of South Africa and is not likely to become that in the very near
future. Both Herold’s Bay and Oubaai will most likely remain exclusive and
sought-after holiday destinations. The management of these towns will in the long run
determine whether people will get a return on their investments and whether holiday-makers
will continue to enjoy leisure beach holidays away from the city’s hustle and bustle.
-----
Urban renewal in Motherwell
Motherwell
in the Eastern Cape is one of the presidential urban renewal nodes identified in 2001.
Motherwell
is one of eight presidential urban renewal nodes. The urban renewal programme is set for
completion in 2008. Engela Meyer visited Motherwell and takes a look at the implementation
challenges for this township in the Eastern Cape.
In February
2001, in his State of the Nation address, President habo Mbeki launched the Urban Renewal
Programme (URP), long with the Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Strategy (ISRDS).
The idea was to focus on poverty alleviation in urban and rural areas that have
substantial service backlogs, that are spatially and economically marginal to the core
urban economies, and in which social exclusion continues to limit the development of their
communities.
According to
Valerie Hindson of McIntosh, Xaba and Associates the 21 urban and rural nodes identified
for the URP and the ISRDS together cover about 25% of the total South African population
and an even greater percentage of the poor.
The
programmes seek to consolidate the achievements of the first seven years of the
Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) by focusing on a more integrated and
participatory approach pursued at a more decentralised level of governance, with a
stronger focus on economic development than in the past.
The URP
initiative is coordinated by the national Department of Provincial and Local Government
(DPLG). Eight urban nodes were identified: Alexandra in Gauteng, Galeshewe in the Northern
Cape, Inanda-KwaMashu in KwaZulu-Natal, Khayelitsha and Mitchell’s Plain in the
Western Cape and Mdantsane and Motherwell in the Eastern Cape. These eight areas are to
serve as pilots for the development of a national urban renewal strategy that can
eventually be applied in all urban areas.
The problem of
definition
Internationally, area-based intervention strategies have been undertaken under
various banners, including ‘urban renewal’, ‘urban regeneration’ and
‘upgrading’. The term ‘urban renewal’ is most often applied in the
USA. Typically, it refers to the redevelopment of urban centres, most often with an
emphasis on the redevelopment of economic infrastructure. By contrast, the concept of
‘urban regeneration’ is largely derived from European literature, and generally
refers to the redevelopment of derelict residential areas or industrial areas, usually
linked to the development of human and social capital. ‘Upgrading’ literature is
largely restricted to the developing world, but the content of these programmes overlap
considerably with those undertaken within the renewal or regeneration projects. For the
purposes of the URP the term ‘urban renewal’ can be interpreted as multisectoral
interventions, which are undertaken within specific geographic areas over a medium-term
timeframe. Source: SACN
The Urban Renewal
Programme
To date, more than R9-billion has been invested in the nodal municipalities
since 2001. A recent report by Carien Engelbrecht, compiled in cooperation with the South
African Cities Network (SACN) (see page 12 for more information on their activities),
highlights the specific nature of urban renewal in South Africa. Traditionally, urban
centers are multi-functional nodes, with strong transportation hubs, incorporating
commercial, retail, cultural and residential components. They provide employment for a
large percentage of the population and they are a significant source of regional economic
growth. However, the South African interpretation for the URP is focused on former black
townships, which do have multiple functions and mixed land use, but cannot really be
described as hubs of economic growth and places of employment. It is rather places of
concentrated poverty where the economic and social duality that exist in South African
cities is evident.
Therefore,
traditional urban renewal policies applied elsewhere in the world cannot be applied
directly to the identified eight URP nodes. According to the SACN report there is
currently “no specific national policy framework for the renewal of urban centres”.
South
African township areas have been “excluded by design” as they have been created
as a direct and deliberate consequence of apartheid policy, while inner city areas have
been experiencing “exclusion through decline” as a result of demographic,
economic and institutional transformation. The nature of exclusion will inevitably have a
major impact on the types of successful intervention.
Urban centre
upgrades are generally undertaken within the framework of public-public partnerships.
According to Hindson the URP is intended to generate greater synergy within existing
development programmes and to draw in a range of complementary programmes from government
and other sources.
The Motherwell Urban
Renewal Node
South African cities are faced with particular challenges linked to the legacy
of apartheid, delayed urbanisation and political transformation. Motherwell is a typical
example where all of these aspects had an impact.
Motherwell
was established in 1982. The area was developed to accommodate people from informal and
illegal dwellings built on the flood plains in Soweto-on-Sea, and to cater for the influx
of people into the urban area. Motherwell is approximately 25 km north of the Nelson
Mandela Bay CBD, on the plains above the Swartkops River.
The physical
extent of Motherwell comprises 13 neighbourhood units referred to as NU 1 to 12 and NU 29,
as well as the neighbourhoods known as Ramaphosa, Ikhamveli and Tjoks.
These are
distinctly separate and range from the built-up NU1 to the informal and densely
shack-populated Tjoks.
According to
Walter Shaidi, programme manager of the Motherwell Urban Renewal Programme (MURP), there
is conflicting information as to the size of the Motherwell population ranging from 130
000 (Census 2001) to 360 000 (from other socioeconomic studies). A socio-economic survey
was conducted by Urban Dynamics in 2002 and it was found that the majority of residents
are female, and are classified in the age category 36 to 45 years. Some 16,1% have not
achieved an educational level of higher than grade 5. There is an average household size
of 5,1 persons. The average monthly disposable
income for Motherwell households is R521,80 and there is an alarmingly high unemployment
rate of 40,7%. Crime seems to be a major problem in Motherwell with a recent study
indicating that nearly 60% of residents believing that crime in the neighbourhood is
committed by organised syndicates or gangs.
In 2005 The
Matrix Urban Designers and Architects and Metroplan Town and Regional Planners completed a
new masterplan for Motherwell. Four main objectives and 14 strategic priorities were
identified. The four main objectives are:
•
To create jobs
•
To eradicate poverty
•
To reduce crime
•
To enhance the
Motherwell residents’ quality of life
Shaidi
argues correctly that planning is necessary, but what is of importance at this point in
time is action and results to keep the attention of the community and to encourage
participation. A number of projects have in fact been implemented over the past two to
three years.
Progress
The 2005 masterplan attempts to focus and coordinate the various projects to
ensure that the overall objectives of urban renewal are reached. A number of projects have
been implemented since 2001. As can be expected, the majority are infrastructural in
nature, such as sewer upgrading, roads, electrification, stormwater, traffic calming,
high-mast lighting and taxi ranks. A community centre and library were also completed.
Among the
ongoing projects is the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Peace Park. According Ts’epang
Setipa of Afri-Coast Engineers the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT)
allocated funding to the value of R23-million for a Metropolitan Gateways and
Beautification project for the whole of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality (NMMM)
and R9-million for a Motherwell Peace Park and Greening project. The Motherwell project
commenced in February 2005, is set for completion in March 2007 and is implemented by
Afri-Coast Engineers. The project includes the greening of open spaces, planting of trees,
building pedestrian pathways in the peace park, fencing and clearing of bush at the
Motherwell cemetery. Trees are to be planted along the major transport routes of
Motherwell: Dimbasa, Tyinira, Maku and Khosi Roads. The project is labour-intensive with
approximately 138 local people employed up to date.
The Nelson
Mandela Peace Park is to be established on erf 5361 Motherwell and will commemorate Mr
Nelson Mandela’s first visit to Port Elizabeth after his release from Robben Island.
The peace park will have a monument with a plaque and amenities such as an amphitheatre
and picnic areas are also envisaged.
Other
projects under construction include a new police station, comprising some 2 350 m² of
buildings, a new magistrate’s court and a community support centre. Another of the
projects that got significant media coverage is the Swedish-South African initiative to
provide alternative housing solutions for the residents of Motherwell. An exhibition held
in October 2005 marked the starting point for a housing development project in Motherwell
called Sakhuluntu Village, which will feature 112 innovative and practical subsidy houses
and 93 rental apartments. A Xhosa Cultural Village is also planned to attract tourists to
Motherwell. A budget of around R70-million is attached to this proposed project.
Up to this
point, it seems that development has been somewhat ad hoc and sometimes just a compilation
of a number of projects.
Hopefully
the 2005 masterplan will provide for a more strategic and integrated approach.
The
timeframe for the national URP is set for completion in 2008, but seeing that this kind of
project never really ends, the unit will remain functioning beyond the date. At the end of
2005, the European Union committed an additional R120-million for the MURP for the period
2005 to 2010.
The road ahead
According to a 2003 report, the implementation of the national URP has been
“slow and patchy”. Mixed successes are the order of the day and the question
could be asked whether we are doing the right thing to invest such a lot of money in these
places of poverty.
Areas such
as Alexandra and Inanda-KwaMashu literally had years of planning and investment and still
remain problem-ridden. Places such as Galeshewe, Motherwell and Mdantsane remain
povertystricken and will not become economic hubs in the near future. It could be argued
that the URP is not in line with the National Spatial Development Perspective (NSDP),
which is in its second revision, and which determines that in places with “low
development potential”, government spending should, beyond basic services, be focused
on providing social transfers, human resource development and labour market intelligence.
Fixed capital investment beyond basic services should therefore be channelled to areas of
high development potential. Budgets of R70-million for a Xhosa village focused on tourism
and R7-million for an urban agriculture project that, according to a 2003 cabinet lekgotla
created 50 job opportunities, do not appear to provide justified returns on investment.
According to
Engelbrecht’s report South African urban centre renewal projects tend to emphasise
property-related interventions to the detriment of social and economic strategies.
Interventions within informal settlements inevitably emphasise physical development
aspects in recognition of the severe infrastructural backlogs which exist in these areas.
Governmentled infrastructure provision has limitations however and can itself promote
social and economic exclusion. Economic and social programmes and projects that are more
outward-looking, linking Motherwell with the Coega Industrial Development Zone and
deepwater port and the Nelson Mandela Bay CBD might prove to contribute better to
Motherwell’s sustainable development in the future.
Engelbrecht
quotes Zukin as saying that power in cities resides in the hands of those who have the
authority to “impose a vision on space”. This might become a reality with the
new masterplan, which attempts to consolidate and coordinate various projects as part of
the Motherwell Urban Development Node and it might serve to achieve one of the aims of
urban renewal, which is to enhance local government capacity to deliver.
-----
Moving FMCG along ‘green’ lines
Sustainability
is key in the development of Woolworths’ massive new Midrand Distribution Centre due
for completion in 2007.
Sustainability
is key in the development of Woolworths’ massive new Midrand distribution centre due
for completion in 2007. Edith Webster reports on various measures that will be implemented
to minimize the impact of this fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) warehouse on its
environment.
Before
Woolworths issued ‘sustainable building guidelines’ to contractors involved in
the development of its new distribution centre (DC) – to follow environment-friendly
building methods, and conserve water and energy – the ideal location for the 78 000
m² warehouse was determined not only in terms of the most cost-effective transportation
of goods between various outlets throughout Gauteng, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal but also
with a view to minimising the impact of the DC on the environment. This consideration will
become increasingly important as it grows to maximum 150 000 m² size to meet projected
growth beyond 2010.
Five
smaller, existing Woolworths DCs in southern Johannesburg will be incorporated into the
new Midrand facility, which will also receive distribution equipment: packaging material,
including cardboard and plastic, from various stores for recycling.
The shortest distance
between two points…
The location was determined by a centre of gravity and network analysis,
conducted by LPC International in the UK.
Based on
this study, the land was purchased in Midrand due to its proximity to Gauteng’s
arterial road network and the Pretoria-Johannesburg routes.
According to
Jason Tindley of LPC International, the study indicated that the development should be
located close to the junction of the N1, N3 and M1 – “the Midrand/Centurion
distribution hub”.
Maurice de
Villiers of Woolworths Property says the site selection criteria included the requirement
that: “Suppliers delivering to Woolworths distribution centres in Gauteng will drive
approximately 9% less kilometres to deliver their product. This will also ensure their
trucks spend less time on the roads. Gas emissions for both primary and secondary
distribution will be reduced.”
Woolworths
believes the centralisation and layout of the DC will support its supply chain strategy
which aims to get all products to each outlet in a single delivery, and thereby ultimately
cut down on kilometres travelled and fuel spent.
A shifting target
A DC’s centre of gravity is influenced by the distance and frequency of
all the customers and suppliers attached to it, Tindley explains. “Distant customers
will have a stronger pull on the centre of gravity than local customers so a distant
factory issuing many loads a day will have a very strong influence on the centre of
gravity.”
The purpose
of locating a DC’s centre of gravity is to minimize the aggregate transport costs, he
adds, therefore only the transport costs covered by the DC’s owner must be allowed to
influence the centre of gravity – if suppliers’ charges for delivering into the
DC will not change with the location of the DC then these supply points must not be
included in the calculations of the centre of gravity.
But centres
of gravity are not static, Tindley points out. “Over the long term, customers and
suppliers come and go therefore calculations need to take into account what the business
is likely to be like some years into the future,” he says. “When the DC is
built, it will be out of the present centre of gravity but, as planned suppliers and
customers come on line, the centre of gravity will move to match the DC’s location so
that eventually the business will develop beyond the planning horizon used for the centre
of gravity calculation and the centre of gravity may move away from the DC location.”
Watch this space!
Better bottom line
Nevertheless, Tindley says the subject of building sustainability has been a
message that has been made “loudly and strongly” by Woolworths, which has
encouraged all consultants to be ‘aggressive’ and include groundbreaking
initiatives where practical and possible; materials and equipment must be sourced locally,
thus reducing transportation; and ‘Proudly South African’ procurement is
preferred. His list of policies included in the design brief:
•
Recycled water from
showers and hand-wash basins will be used to flush toilets, and the same ‘grey’
water will be used for irrigation wherever practical and possible.
•
Solar heating will be
used in the ablution blocks.
•
Air conditioning will
be reduced to absolute minimum and natural ventilation used wherever possible.
•
Compressed-air dock
levellers will replace conventional hydraulic dock levellers to reduce power supply and
potential oil spillages.
•
Specialist consultants
will be appointed to advise the professional team on considerations for lessening the
impact of the building on the environment.
•
Where practical,
vegetation will be planted on roofs.
•
The DC platform must
be sited in a way that minimises the displacement of rock from the site.
•
Displaced rock must be
incorporated into the landscaping and retaining wall features within the site boundaries.
•
Indigenous species
must be used in landscaping.
“It is
our knowledge that ‘green’ issues and initiatives will be a constant in
Woolworths’ ongoing operation and maintenance of the DC once commissioned, with a
responsibility to implement ‘green’ technologies as and when they come to the
market,” Tindley tells Urban Green File. “The business will review ‘green’
saving initiatives before the implication of financial cost.”
Life on ‘campus’
Woolworths has gone to considerable lengths to create a welcoming, comfortable
and humanised environment within the Midrand distribution centre (DC), according to Jason
Tindley of LPC International, who also created the conceptual design of the distribution
centre.
“Consideration
has gone into the design to ‘soften’ the environment of the DC from that of a
sterile, purely functional environment as can often be seen in many DCs in the UK and
Europe,” he points out.
Initiatives
to “humanise the working environment”, as Tindley puts it, include the
maximisation of daylight into the DC; internal coloured panels with motifs leading to the
operational areas; and ‘break-out’ balconies.
From the
perspective of the workforce, he says Centurion will also ensure easier and more flexible
transportation of staff as it is within close proximity of Tembisa and Olievenhoutbosch.
“Woolworths
has been proactive on all fronts to seek best practice in all aspects of the business
– be it working practices, warehouse planning and design, building sustainability,
and to benchmark against similar operations in the UK and Europe,” he adds. “The
experience gained from overseas trips coupled with Woolworths’ current working
practices and LPC’s extensive experience of food and textile operations worldwide
have galvanized the project team’s buy-in to the location, design and construction of
the campus development at Midrand and that the correct solution is currently being
implemented.”
Client:
Woolworths
HVAC, wet services and insulation: WSP Consulting Engineers SA
Quantity surveyor: Norval Wentzel Steinberg
Project manager: MDSA Project Management
Logistics and supply chain: LPC International
Fire Safety: Specialised Fire Technology
Landscape architect: Newtown Landscape Architects
Architect: R&L Architects
Environmental architect: Green By Design
Structural engineer: Africon
Electrical consultant: CKR Engineering
Building contractor: WBHO
Earthworks: Concor Roads
Refrigeration: WS&B
-----
IT industry – the fastest
growing waste stream
A
recent report on the managing of e-waste highlighted the associated problems. Is Africa
becoming a dumping site for the industrialized world’s IT industry?
The
electronic and information technology industry is the world’s largest and fastest
growing manufacturing industry. As a consequence of this remarkable growth e-waste is now
recognised as the fastest growing waste stream in the industrialized world. Elizabeth
Abelho reports.
Consider for
a moment that everything electronic falls into the ewaste bucket: cellular phones,
computers, toasters, televisions, refrigerators, microwave ovens, copier machines, the
list goes on…
Due to the
lack of financial resources available to developing countries, much of the growth in the
IT sector has been fuelled by the importation of hand-me-down, used equipment. The United
States has been the major exporter of electronic waste to developing countries around the
globe under the guise of repair and recycle.
It’s
not as if the industrialised world has only woken up now. An international waste treaty,
known as the Basel Convention, was drawn up and signed in 1989. Part of the global effort
in enforcing the Basel Convention has been the creation of regional centres, acting as
hubs for several countries. One such centre is based right here in South Africa. The Basel
Convention Regional Centre (BCRC), in Pretoria represents 21 English-speaking African
countries.
Their
mandate, according to Lene Ecroignard, information and marketing co-ordinator at BCRC
Pretoria, is to ensure the “environmentally safe, sound management of waste”.
The Pretoria BCRC has a staff complement of five, with consultants on hand when needed.
Their major role is offering training in waste management across all sectors of industry,
while also acting as a platform for the Basel Action Network (BAN).
Who is BAN?
BAN is a group of environmental activists, formed in 1994, to defend the planet
against toxic waste trade. Born from the requirements of the Basel Convention, this group
is based in Seattle, US, and is highly active in investigations of waste trade abuse and
the impact this has on the environment and the people at risk. They have three goals:
•
To promote clean
production methods
•
To reduce the use of
toxic materials
•
To ensure global
environmental justice
The group
drafted a report (issued in October 2005) on the problems experienced with the export of
damaged or obsolete electronic equipment to developing countries. The intention with these
exports is that the equipment is reusable, but may first need repair. The second so-called
benefit is that unusable machines could be recycled, leading to job creation thereby
stimulating these poorer economies.
China and
India have been receiving exported electronic waste for years. While these countries do
perform a recycling function, it is mainly small businesses, which are not regulated, or
co ordinated resulting in burning of much of the equipment causing widespread pollution.
Even though China has banned the importation of e-waste, the US still exports to that
country. The latest casualty is Nigeria. With ready port access, and a hunger for
technology advancement, Nigeria is accepting imports of electronic equipment for reuse.
However what they are receiving is 50% to 80% junk, according to the BAN report. Estimates
put the number of units received per month at around 400 000. That is a lot of rubbish to
dispose of. Specifically in Lagos it is apparently a growing environmental and health
disaster.
The Nigerian Story
In 1987, an Italian businessman Gianfranco Raffaelli contracted a Nigerian
landowner to store “construction materials” for him, at a cost of about US$100
per month. The Koko Beach landowner, Sunday Nana, was not aware that the materials were in
fact toxic waste, all 18 000 drums! The drums of waste started to leak into the
surrounding area after some months, sparking international outrage and was the precursor
to the Basel Convention in 1989.
Nearly 20
years after the Koko Beach scandal, Nigeria is in the news again, this time due to the
digital dumps being created – this time even more is at stake.
Nigeria has
no electronic recycling facilities for this type of waste. Poor enforcement of
international agreements has created this nightmare. Especially when considering that
Nigeria is listed in Annex IV of the BAN report as one of a “List of countries to
which export of e-waste from the US is currently not acceptable under international law
(Non-OECD Basel Parties)”. Further information can be obtained from the report
directly.
Where are the toxins?
Computers and other electronic equipment are manufactured from materials found
naturally as well as man-made. While some naturally occurring substances, such as
chromium, are harmless in nature, their use in the manufacture of electronic equipment
often results in compounds that are hazardous. These are highly toxic and especially
harmful to human health and the environment if not disposed of carefully.
A fairly
intimidating list of materials with adverse effects on health, including arsenic, barium,
CFCs and lead go into our electronic gadgets. The biggest problem here is how to dispose
of postconsumer electronics safely. The unfortunate result of dumping it in ill-equipped
places is that burning will be its likely fate. When many of these compounds are burned
they become even more dangerous – sending a deadly cloud over the rooftops and into
the lungs of the unsuspecting locals. Even burying it in landfills is inadequate, as
compounds decompose and seep into the ground as toxic leachate.
Doing it right
Correct and safe disposal of these compounds is possible. Australia has a
successful programme running for the import and export of used electronic equipment,
legislated and procedurally documented. Legislation exists in Europe and is spreading to
Asia.
Switzerland
is a major role player – having 12 years of operating an electronic
equipment-recycling program under their belt. Their winning strategy includes:
•
a guaranteed buy-back
system for end-of-life goods
•
a built-in advanced
recycling fee (ARF) included in purchase
•
price, which is tax
exempt
•
a regulated effort
under the auspices of one group who handle all the electronic waste in Switzerland
•
control, in the form
of audits by the Swiss standards bureau (EMPA) similar to our SABS
It is
through EMPA that South Africa has received a great deal of support and guidance in
initiating our own controls and legislation.
South Africa’s
plan
Say “recycling” in South Africa and it conjures images of lonely
trolley-people in the streets on refuse collection day, overflowing glass collection
containers, soggy cardboard at the local animal shelter. Nowhere in that list does
electronic equipment even feature.
The
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) has been working with a technical
advisory committee aiming to raise awareness of the hazards associated with solid waste,
of which ewaste is a contributor.
The National
Waste Management Strategy (NWMS) for South Africa identified implementation projects that
focus on selected components considered to be strategic. The selected components are
Health Care Waste, Recycling and Waste Information System. The implementation will
primarily take place through pilot projects, supported by Danish donor funder - DANIDA.
Implementation
of a Waste Information System (WIS) is the first step towards the Pollutants Release and
Transfer Register (PRTR) envisaged in the White Paper on Integrated Pollution and Waste
Management for South Africa.
eWASA
There exists in its infancy a local volunteer organisation called “eWASA”,
which stands for the Electronic Waste Association of South Africa. Although the
organisation only registered in November 2005, the portfolio holders have been involved
for the last 18 months to two years, some for much longer. Ray Lombard holds the recycling
portfolio at eWASA. According to Lombard, who also sits on the technical advisory
committee to the DEAT, their prime objective is to pre-empt environmental pollution.
It is the
belief of eWASA that whoever contributes to the problem should help create a solution.
Tackling computers as the biggest ewaste issue seemed logical since it is the fastest
growing sector within the electronics industry. It was found that an industry body already
existed within the IT industry, called the Information Technology Association (ITA). One
of the companies under this umbrella is AXIZ, a major South African importer of IT
components. eWASA obtained figures via the South African Revenue Service that indicate
that 80% of all IT equipment in South Africa is sold to government at some level.
Considering that AXIZ alone import around 40 000 t of hardware per annum, that’s a
big pile of junk in the making. There is one saving grace and that is that the South
African government has not trashed its obsolete equipment. It is taking up oodles of
warehouse space instead. The reason why this can be thought of as good news is that we
still have a chance to do the right thing in terms of responsible recycling. Not
cherry-picking, as is the norm, where individuals or companies remove only the high cost
items and dump the rest of the unit. There is apparently a significant quantity of gold in
the old XT desktops – around 4g, prompting this behaviour. I repeat – its not
solving the problem.
Conclusion
The final word on this subject is “when”? When will the US stop
forcing their rubbish onto desperate nations? When will we South Africans get our own
house in order? When will our government pass the legislation needed to enforce
responsible recycling?
Recycling
technologies
A simple
explanation of the stages of recovery is given below.
1) Manual
dismantling is the first, more traditional way to separate hazardous materials from
recyclable materials, and to generate recyclable materials from electronic waste. In a
pre-sorting process, the incoming electronic waste first is separated into the different
categories, which are to be handled separately in the following dismantling and sorting
process. The dismantling process itself is performed with simple tools such as
screwdrivers, hammers and tongs.
2)
Mechanical disassembly is the second, more modern way to separate hazardous materials and
to generate recyclable materials from electronic waste. In a pre-sorting process, the
incoming electronic waste first is separated into the different categories, which are to
be handled separately in the following dismantling and sorting process. The dismantling
process itself is performed mechanically. Typical components of a mechanical dismantling
plant are crushing units, shredders, magnetic separators and air separators. The exhaust
gases are cleaned up in waste gas purification plants and the dust generated collected
with dust filters. Indoor exposure should be monitored and assessed.
3) Refining
and conditioning: Most of the fractions need to be refined or conditioned in order to be
sold as secondary raw materials or to be disposed of in a final disposal site,
respectively.
Refining
includes mechanical, thermal and chemical processes. It is typically performed for
fractions such as batteries, CRTs, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, recyclable plastics and
printed boards.
Conditioning
includes Municipal Solid Waste Incineration (MSWI) of fractions such as plastic waste and
Hazardous Waste Incineration (HWI) of fractions such as condensers.
4) The final
disposal of materials from dismantling, refining and conditioning processes takes place in
landfills. Many landfills are subject to relatively strict emission controls and are
comparatively restrictive regarding the materials accepted: the ideal would be that
combustive materials should not be admitted for final disposal in landfills.
Source: EMPA
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