The Analysis of Agenda Setting

The constitutional democracy in South Africa has opened up opportunities for the rise of various issues that were previously marginalised. The current political dispensation, supported by new progressive legislation, has rendered reckless management of waste management unacceptable. Whilst the new constitutional order has demarcated responsibility for the management of solid waste, reality indicates that in spite of various legislative attempts to ensure the institutionalisation of sound and integrated waste management, solid waste is still poorly managed by responsible authorities. It has also been evident that many municipalities in South Africa still rely on the problematic landfill sites as the dominant waste disposal facility, this despite the obvious environmental problems that land filling engenders. Using Kingdon s agenda-setting theory, this study found that problem definition, policy dynamics and political interests all play influential roles in the agenda status of policy problems and whether they are addressed or not.

Autorentext

Thabani Mkhize is a Policy, Planning and Monitoring &Evaluation Specialist working in the South African Public Service. He holds a Media and Communications Degree as well as Master of Social Science in Policy and Development from the University of KwaZulu Natal. He is also an Editor-In-Chief of a youth publication, Enterprise Exposure Magazine.