Beyond Awareness and Enforcement: Governance and Infrastructure Constraints Shaping Illegal Dumping in Ngwelezana Township, South Africa

Illegal dumping is a significant environmental and public health challenge in South African townships. This study investigates the drivers of illegal dumping in Ngwelezana Township, KwaZulu-Natal, using a qualitative case study approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with municipal officials, waste workers, and community stakeholders, supplemented by field observations and document analysis. Qualitative content analysis identified that dumping is driven by a misalignment between waste generation and service provision, characterized by ‘institutional incoherence’ and ‘constrained compliance.’ Specific drivers include weak enforcement capacity, inadequate municipal resources, high disposal and transport costs, and the availability of unmanaged open spaces. The findings suggest that current reactive clean-up approaches are insufficient to address the systemic nature of the problem. This study proposes a transition toward preventative, community-centred waste governance that prioritizes strategic resource allocation, infrastructure accessibility, and integrated spatial planning. By analyzing the intersection of governance, cost, and infrastructure, this research provides a framework for addressing waste mismanagement in comparable Global South contexts.