The study was carried out in order to describe the waste minimisation programmes in place in the respective local municipalities in order to minimise the amount of waste entering landfill sites. The study area covered four provinces and for each province a single local municipality with a major mining town was selected. The study areas selected were; Klerksdorp in the North West Province; Carletonville in the Gauteng Province; Witbank in the Mpumalanga Province; and Welkom in the Free-State Province. On the basis of these results, the following findings are specified. The key findings of the study indicate that the selected study areas do not seem to have precise and clear programmes that are solely and specifically aimed at minimising waste. Instead the financial management and asset management strategies are initiated to overhaul the entire out-dated municipal systems. As a result one of the drawbacks is that the waste management systems indirectly benefit although these are not direct programmes aimed at the waste management systems. Observations suggest that suitably qualified persons should manage in-house programmes and other programmes as these have a major impact in educating people about waste minimisation. The organisational set up of local municipalities does not give adequate space and autonomy to the waste directorate. This has an adverse effect on the recruitment, retention and development of specialist skills.Waste management does not receive adequate budgetary support from local municipalities and, this constrains the ability of waste directorates to up-grade current systems and to improve their record of service delivery.Waste minimisation is a critical element of long-term government goals to protect the environment; yet, it does not receive much attention from senior management across local municipalities.

Keywords: Waste minimisation; Minimisation programmes; Landfill sites; Recycling initiatives