Abstract
M.A.
South Africa is facing ongoing serious waste management environmental challenges that impact
on the human quality of life. Waste management is regarded as a cross-cutting and global issue
impacting on many aspects of society, environment, the economy of all countries and cities. The
location of landfill sites has proven to be a problem to nearby residents in most part of the world,
particularly on the African Continent.
The specific legislative framework of waste management in South Africa originates from the
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act No. 108 of 1996) with the notion of a healthy
environment being entrenched by Section 152(1) (b) and (d) of the Constitution. The other key
pieces of legislation that support the Constitution that are contextualised in this study include the
National Environmental Management Act (Act No. 107 of 1998), the Environment Conservation
Act (Act No. 73 of 1989) and the Municipal Systems Act (Act No. 32 of 2000).
The purpose of the study was to assess the socio-economic impacts of the New England Road
Landfill Site on the local community of Sobantu Township. The study used qualitative research
methods with a semi-structured data collection instrument to solicit in-depth knowledge from
the participants and a simple observation tool. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to
determine a sample. Qualitative data was collected through face-to-face interviews and analysed
through thematic analysis to determine the socio-economic impacts of the New England Road
Landfill Site on the local community of Sobantu Township.
The findings of the study revealed job creation and earning of livelihoods as positive economic
impacts of the landfill site. The study also revealed specific negative environmental and health
related impacts of the landfill site towards the environment affecting the local community. These
relate to air pollution and human health hazards due to unhealthy living conditions. In conclusion,
the objectives of exploring the benefits and the negative effects of the New England Road
Landfill Site on the community were achieved. The objective of exploring the negative effects
of the New England Road Landfill Site on the local community was also achieved. The identified
negative effects include health hazards, air pollution, migration and increase of informal
settlements in the community of Sobantu Township.