Johannesburg, the largest city in the Republic of South Africa and a dynamic business center for all of Africa, is composed of a multitude of communities with a diverse range of basic needs. With the end of the apartheid system of government in 1994, Johannesburg’s government, like local governments throughout South Africa, was challenged with redefining its role and provid­ing basic public services for all of its citizens regardless of race, creed, or color. 

The goal of the Johannesburg/Houston partnership was to facilitate organizational changes in order to achieve increased worker productivity and improved service delivery in solid waste management. In addition, the partners sought to establish a pilot recycling program in the Western Metropolitan Local Council of Johannesburg. 

Over the course of several exchanges, officials from Johannesburg and Houston collaborated in introducing organizational changes into the department responsible for solid waste management in the greater Johannesburg metropolitan area. During the exchanges the partners addressed topics such as motivating and training staff, providing incentives for performance, and increasing diversity. 

A key result of this partnership was the passing of a council resolution to establish a recycling/buyback center in the western area of the city. After the resolution was passed, the Houston partners continued to assist Johannesburg in developing the specifications for selecting a firm to manage the buyback center.