DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2014.v02i05.011

Pages: 662-669

The case study focused on Gweru City Council by investigating the feasibility of the Rational Decision-Making Model in solving problems faced by Local Authorities (LAs) in the management of domestic solid waste in the high density suburbs. The researchers were motivated into the research study by the rampant disposal of solid waste in high density suburbs. The top-down decision-making process in LAs tended to create red tapes that hindered effective solutions to the problem. The study’s key objective was to establish the perceptions of stakeholders on the feasibility of using the Rational Decision-Making Model in the high density suburbs of four villages in Mkoba. The descriptive survey design was used to collect data on perceptions of workers in the refuse collection and disposal section of the Department of Health as well as residents in the high density suburbs. The design facilitated the use of cross-sectional survey to collect data from 82 respondents sampled from a target population of 815 people. A questionnaire for workers and residents, and an interview for the management group were used to collect data from the respondents. Both questionnaire and interview results revealed that non-payment of refuse collection tariffs by residents was a very serious problem. Most of the respondents had perceptions that favoured the use of the Rational Decision-Making Model in the management of domestic solid waste. The researchers concluded that Rational Decision-Making Model was feasible in solving problems faced by LAs. Following the research study conclusions, the study recommended that the Ministry of Local Government and Urban Planning should adopt a new philosophy in decision-making where local authorities can no longer use laid down decision-making models which are fraught with delays, mistakes, and defective service delivery systems.