Abstract
Globally, there has been a problem regarding solid waste (SW) management due to the wide variety of waste characteristics, the inconsistent implementation of waste legislation, changing lifestyles, increase in waste production, and rapid urbanization. Less often or never have studies on institutional barriers to municipal solid waste management been conducted thus far in the Ngaka Modiri Molema district municipality (NMMDM). A mixed method study using a semi-structured questionnaire with open-ended and closed-ended questions as well as a SWOT analysis approach was utilized to bridge that gap. For the quantitative study, one hundred and sixty seven (167) participants from local municipalities of NMMD were randomly selected. However, the SWOT analysis and the qualitative component of the study consisted of 13 participants, who were managers and supervisors from those institutions. The results were presented using the International Business Management Statistical Package for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS) version 28 following the coding and computer-aided analysis of the quantitative data. This statistical analysis was primarily descriptive. Data was summarized using frequency counts and percentages. The data for the qualitative component was categorized using open coding, and the coded data was then grouped to develop descriptive themes and sub-themes. NMMDM‘s institutional waste management barriers are not different to barriers of other countries or other parts of South Africa as identified in the literature review where several key barriers identified were lack of staff capacity, lack of knowledge, lack of responsibility, lack of technical expertise, lack of equipment, awareness, negative attitude, lack of waste storage facilities, lack of access control to landfill sites, weak law enforcement and lack or poor political support amongst others. The study did, however, also identify two other community factors that includes the stealing of land fill site fences and equipment as well as the issue of people loitering or living in the streets, both of which contribute to the district's inefficient waste management, which affects waste collection and disposal.
The primary results of this research may be beneficial to decision-makers in implementing efficient SW management services in the district.
Key words: solid waste management, waste collection, waste disposal, barriers, Ngaka Modiri Molema District municipality