UWC research highlights how socio-economic differences and infrastructure shape household food waste practices in Cape Town. Image: Adobe Stock

Doctoral research completed at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) has shed new light on how food waste is generated and managed across socio-economically different urban communities, highlighting the deep links between waste, inequality and urban infrastructure. 

By examining these links, the study addressed critical targets for the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities), and SDG 12.3 (Reducing Food Waste). These findings directly support the Western Cape’s target to divert 100% of organic waste from landfills by 2027.

Dr Yonela Madlingozi, who recently graduated with a PhD in Geography, investigated household food waste practices in Joe Slovo Park, a low-income neighbourhood, and Phoenix, a middle-income neighbourhood in Milnerton, Cape Town. Her research explored how socio-economic conditions, access to infrastructure and municipal services shape everyday food waste practices in urban areas of the Global South.

Drawing on a mixed-methods approach, the study combined household surveys, food waste weighing and characterisation, in-depth interviews, and the spatial mapping of food outlets and illegal dumping sites. Madlingozi found that middle-income households generate more food waste overall, despite greater access to storage, municipal services and food outlets.

As she noted in her thesis, “The middle-income area, Phoenix, where the majority of respondents were employed, generated more food waste than the low-income area, where the majority of respondents are unemployed.”

Yonela Madlingozi’s PhD study revealed that urban household food waste reflects broader inequalities in access to storage, services and food systems. Image: Supplied

However, the study revealed that the types of food wasted were similar across both communities, with perishable foods accounting for the majority of the waste. “Both areas generate fruits and vegetables the most, followed by starch, then meat,” Madlingozi wrote, pointing to broader systemic issues within urban food systems rather than individual behaviour alone.

Using an urban political ecology framework, the research showed that food waste cannot be separated from wider questions of inequality, governance and access to services. In her conclusion, Madlingozi emphasised that “food waste at the household level occurs due to interlinked complex factors and, therefore, cannot be studied in isolation.”

The findings highlighted how a household’s socio-economic status, unreliable electricity supply, limited food storage, inconsistent waste collection and spatial access to food outlets contribute to food spoilage and illegal dumping, particularly in low-income areas.

At the same time, the research identified opportunities for interventions through improved food purchasing, preparation and storage practices.  

The study further recommended participatory research to co-design community-based, appropriate municipal waste collection services, composting initiatives, and more equitable municipal support. It also highlighted the support that producer responsibility organisations (PROs) can provide.

By foregrounding lived experiences and structural conditions, the research makes a significant contribution to urban geography, waste studies and debates on the circular economy and sustainability. 

Madlingozi’s work offers evidence-based insights to inform policy, highlighting the need for inclusive, circular context-specific solutions to food waste and urban food insecurity in South African cities and beyond.