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Papers by Pierre Reyneke

We cannot continue like this: Facing modernity in Africa and the West

This dissertation examines how sections of the urban waste precariat, positioned in the City of T... more This dissertation examines how sections of the urban waste precariat, positioned in the City of Tshwane, responded to the formalisation and privatisation of the waste management system by the city's public authorities. Focusing on two landfill sites, it consists of an ethnographic description and analysis of the nexus between waste makers, waste governors and the waste precariat, including waste-pickers. Drawing on multiple theoretical perspectives, the ethnography brings to light aspects and dynamics of the waste management system which are invisible to the waste governors. These include a typical instance of "accumulation by dispossession" (Harvey 2004, Samson 2012), which involved the closure of three municipal landfill sites and the relocation of a section of the city's waste precariat to other landfill sites, as the state sought to capture the value of the waste generated by the waste makers in the city. Moreover, the closure of one landfill site located in the midst of a wealthy suburb also shows how this process of dispossession is constructed on older distinctions of race and class (Malan 1996, Ballard 2004). As those sections of the waste precariat move to another landfill they are confronted with new dynamics which include access to soft waste being controlled by an established waste-picker committee and city-supported cooperatives that have formed an alliance with the waste governors. As a result, the 'newcomers' are pushed into fringe recycling. This thesis contributes to the debate around the formalisation of waste picking in demonstrating how the process of formalisation, often pushed for and initiated by third sector organisations (Alexander 2009), engenders the exclusion of fringe recycling practices. As such this thesis contributes to a gap in the literature on fringe recycling, in the process also working towards portraying waste-pickers as a differentiated group. In theorising fringe recycling as part of the broader response of the waste precariat to formalisation and privatisation, this thesis deploys the concept of bricolage (Levi-Strauss 1966) in order to make sense of the creative and autonomous actions implied in improvisation. This emphasis on improvisation and creativity pushes the thesis into a consideration of 'things' (Ingold 2010) and the processes of formation, flows and the transformation of materials. Tracing the complex lines of flow and entanglement that exists between people and things in the context of landfill sites gives credence to the idea of a thing as a "gathering together of the threads of life" (Ingold 2010:2-3) and challenges our © University of Pretoria iii established understanding of agency and indeed the effort by Appadurai (1986) to theorise value through tracing 'the social life of things'. Writing this dissertation was by no means an individual effort and I am in debt to a conglomeration of colleagues and friends, who constantly offered their advice and encouragement throughout this process. My colleagues from the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Pretoria contributed to my intellectual development and provided advice and insights during the writing process. In particular, I want to thank Jimmy Pieterse and Fraser McNeill whose input proved to be invaluable. My dear friend, Fraser Schenck offered his technical help in drawing the illustrated maps included in the dissertation, adding a professional touch to my hand drawn efforts. I want to extend my gratitude for assistance from the National Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences in the form of the Social Life of Waste/Art Seed Grant (CRP01619). Their financial assistance made the copy editing of the dissertation possible. The Social Life of Waste/Art network created opportunities for stimulating discussions on waste, discarded materials and environmental issues, which encouraged me to formulate my own opinions on these subjects. I was privileged to have Detlev Krige as my supervisor for this research project. It is not always the case that supervisors are truly invested in the student's research topic, but Detlev's interest and commitment stretched beyond the expectations of a supervisor. For his guidance and support and I am forever indebted. At times, writing a dissertation can be a tedious process. My closest friend and partner, Susan van Tonder, sat with me through countless hours in conversation, offering her undivided attention and fresh insights, as I attempted to navigate my way through the data and literature. Those conversations anchored me in the stormy seas of dissertation writing.

Dumpsite bricolage : the urban waste precariat's responses to the formalisation and privatisation of waste management in the City of Tshwane

1. 17 217 words I, Pierre Reyneke, declare that (a) I have been supplied with the Plagiari... more 26146445) 17 217 words I, Pierre Reyneke, declare that (a) I have been supplied with the Plagiarism Policy of the University of Pretoria, that I understand what plagiarism is, and that I agree to abide by the University of Pretoria's policy in this regard, and (b) that this essay is my own original work and that I have not previously submitted it at this or any other tertiary institution. Where secondary material is used, I have carefully acknowledged and referenced it in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology. Signature: Date:

Thesis Chapters by Pierre Reyneke

This dissertation examines how sections of the urban waste precariat, positioned in the City of T... more This dissertation examines how sections of the urban waste precariat, positioned in the City of Tshwane, responded to the formalisation and privatisation of the waste management system by the city’s public authorities. Focusing on two landfill sites, it consists of an ethnographic description and analysis of the nexus between waste makers, waste governors and the waste precariat, including waste-pickers. Drawing on multiple theoretical perspectives, the ethnography brings to light aspects and dynamics of the waste management system which are invisible to the waste governors. These include a typical instance of “accumulation by dispossession” (Harvey 2004, Samson 2012), which involved the closure of three municipal landfill sites and the relocation of a section of the city’s waste precariat to other landfill sites, as the state sought to capture the value of the waste generated by the waste makers in the city. Moreover, the closure of one landfill site located in the midst of a wealthy suburb also shows how this process of dispossession is constructed on older distinctions of race and class (Malan 1996, Ballard 2004). As those sections of the waste precariat move to another landfill they are confronted with new dynamics which include access to soft waste being controlled by an established waste-picker committee and city-supported cooperatives that have formed an alliance with the waste governors. As a result, the ‘newcomers’ are pushed into fringe recycling. This thesis contributes to the debate around the formalisation of waste picking in demonstrating how the process of formalisation, often pushed for and initiated by third sector organisations (Alexander 2009), engenders the exclusion of fringe recycling practices. As such this thesis contributes to a gap in the literature on fringe recycling, in the process also working towards portraying waste-pickers as a differentiated group. In theorising fringe recycling as part of the broader response of the waste precariat to formalisation and privatisation, this thesis deploys the concept of bricolage (Levi-Strauss 1966) in order to make sense of the creative and autonomous actions implied in improvisation. This emphasis on improvisation and creativity pushes the thesis into a consideration of ‘things’ (Ingold 2010) and the processes of formation, flows and the transformation of materials. Tracing the complex lines of flow and entanglement that exists between people and things in the context of landfill sites gives credence to the idea of a thing as a “gathering together of the threads of life” (Ingold 2010:2-3) and challenges our established understanding of agency and indeed the effort by Appadurai (1986) to theorise value through tracing ‘the social life of things’.

We cannot continue like this: Facing modernity in Africa and the West

This dissertation examines how sections of the urban waste precariat, positioned in the City of T... more This dissertation examines how sections of the urban waste precariat, positioned in the City of Tshwane, responded to the formalisation and privatisation of the waste management system by the city's public authorities. Focusing on two landfill sites, it consists of an ethnographic description and analysis of the nexus between waste makers, waste governors and the waste precariat, including waste-pickers. Drawing on multiple theoretical perspectives, the ethnography brings to light aspects and dynamics of the waste management system which are invisible to the waste governors. These include a typical instance of "accumulation by dispossession" (Harvey 2004, Samson 2012), which involved the closure of three municipal landfill sites and the relocation of a section of the city's waste precariat to other landfill sites, as the state sought to capture the value of the waste generated by the waste makers in the city. Moreover, the closure of one landfill site located in the midst of a wealthy suburb also shows how this process of dispossession is constructed on older distinctions of race and class (Malan 1996, Ballard 2004). As those sections of the waste precariat move to another landfill they are confronted with new dynamics which include access to soft waste being controlled by an established waste-picker committee and city-supported cooperatives that have formed an alliance with the waste governors. As a result, the 'newcomers' are pushed into fringe recycling. This thesis contributes to the debate around the formalisation of waste picking in demonstrating how the process of formalisation, often pushed for and initiated by third sector organisations (Alexander 2009), engenders the exclusion of fringe recycling practices. As such this thesis contributes to a gap in the literature on fringe recycling, in the process also working towards portraying waste-pickers as a differentiated group. In theorising fringe recycling as part of the broader response of the waste precariat to formalisation and privatisation, this thesis deploys the concept of bricolage (Levi-Strauss 1966) in order to make sense of the creative and autonomous actions implied in improvisation. This emphasis on improvisation and creativity pushes the thesis into a consideration of 'things' (Ingold 2010) and the processes of formation, flows and the transformation of materials. Tracing the complex lines of flow and entanglement that exists between people and things in the context of landfill sites gives credence to the idea of a thing as a "gathering together of the threads of life" (Ingold 2010:2-3) and challenges our © University of Pretoria iii established understanding of agency and indeed the effort by Appadurai (1986) to theorise value through tracing 'the social life of things'. Writing this dissertation was by no means an individual effort and I am in debt to a conglomeration of colleagues and friends, who constantly offered their advice and encouragement throughout this process. My colleagues from the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Pretoria contributed to my intellectual development and provided advice and insights during the writing process. In particular, I want to thank Jimmy Pieterse and Fraser McNeill whose input proved to be invaluable. My dear friend, Fraser Schenck offered his technical help in drawing the illustrated maps included in the dissertation, adding a professional touch to my hand drawn efforts. I want to extend my gratitude for assistance from the National Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences in the form of the Social Life of Waste/Art Seed Grant (CRP01619). Their financial assistance made the copy editing of the dissertation possible. The Social Life of Waste/Art network created opportunities for stimulating discussions on waste, discarded materials and environmental issues, which encouraged me to formulate my own opinions on these subjects. I was privileged to have Detlev Krige as my supervisor for this research project. It is not always the case that supervisors are truly invested in the student's research topic, but Detlev's interest and commitment stretched beyond the expectations of a supervisor. For his guidance and support and I am forever indebted. At times, writing a dissertation can be a tedious process. My closest friend and partner, Susan van Tonder, sat with me through countless hours in conversation, offering her undivided attention and fresh insights, as I attempted to navigate my way through the data and literature. Those conversations anchored me in the stormy seas of dissertation writing.

Dumpsite bricolage : the urban waste precariat's responses to the formalisation and privatisation of waste management in the City of Tshwane

1. 17 217 words I, Pierre Reyneke, declare that (a) I have been supplied with the Plagiari... more 26146445) 17 217 words I, Pierre Reyneke, declare that (a) I have been supplied with the Plagiarism Policy of the University of Pretoria, that I understand what plagiarism is, and that I agree to abide by the University of Pretoria's policy in this regard, and (b) that this essay is my own original work and that I have not previously submitted it at this or any other tertiary institution. Where secondary material is used, I have carefully acknowledged and referenced it in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology. Signature: Date:

This dissertation examines how sections of the urban waste precariat, positioned in the City of T... more This dissertation examines how sections of the urban waste precariat, positioned in the City of Tshwane, responded to the formalisation and privatisation of the waste management system by the city’s public authorities. Focusing on two landfill sites, it consists of an ethnographic description and analysis of the nexus between waste makers, waste governors and the waste precariat, including waste-pickers. Drawing on multiple theoretical perspectives, the ethnography brings to light aspects and dynamics of the waste management system which are invisible to the waste governors. These include a typical instance of “accumulation by dispossession” (Harvey 2004, Samson 2012), which involved the closure of three municipal landfill sites and the relocation of a section of the city’s waste precariat to other landfill sites, as the state sought to capture the value of the waste generated by the waste makers in the city. Moreover, the closure of one landfill site located in the midst of a wealthy suburb also shows how this process of dispossession is constructed on older distinctions of race and class (Malan 1996, Ballard 2004). As those sections of the waste precariat move to another landfill they are confronted with new dynamics which include access to soft waste being controlled by an established waste-picker committee and city-supported cooperatives that have formed an alliance with the waste governors. As a result, the ‘newcomers’ are pushed into fringe recycling. This thesis contributes to the debate around the formalisation of waste picking in demonstrating how the process of formalisation, often pushed for and initiated by third sector organisations (Alexander 2009), engenders the exclusion of fringe recycling practices. As such this thesis contributes to a gap in the literature on fringe recycling, in the process also working towards portraying waste-pickers as a differentiated group. In theorising fringe recycling as part of the broader response of the waste precariat to formalisation and privatisation, this thesis deploys the concept of bricolage (Levi-Strauss 1966) in order to make sense of the creative and autonomous actions implied in improvisation. This emphasis on improvisation and creativity pushes the thesis into a consideration of ‘things’ (Ingold 2010) and the processes of formation, flows and the transformation of materials. Tracing the complex lines of flow and entanglement that exists between people and things in the context of landfill sites gives credence to the idea of a thing as a “gathering together of the threads of life” (Ingold 2010:2-3) and challenges our established understanding of agency and indeed the effort by Appadurai (1986) to theorise value through tracing ‘the social life of things’.