CBPM Conference 2026 · Vol. 2026, Issue 1

Construction and Demolition Concrete Waste Management in Gauteng: Challenges and Strategic Interventions for Circular Construction

Gefference Sekhoto, Samkelo Ndlovu, Tinomudaishe Kasayi, Faranani Gethe, and Matthew Ikuabe

Keywords: Circular economy, concrete waste management, construction and demolition waste, South Africa, sustainable construction

Abstract

This paper investigates the challenges of construction and demolition (C&D) concrete management in Gauteng Province, South Africa, and proposes strategic interventions aligned with circular economy principles. A qualitative-dominant mixed-methods design was adopted, comprising semi-structured interviews and open-ended questionnaires with nine construction professionals (contractors, site managers, waste handlers) who have practised for a minimum of five years across multiple sites in Gauteng (Benoni, Springs, Roodepoort, Germiston, Parktown Roseband and Johannesburg). Data were analysed using thematic analysis following Braun & Clarke’s six-phase framework. Construction-phase waste is driven by over-ordering, miscalculations, and a “build-first, manage-later” culture. Demolition-phase waste is exacerbated by lack of pre-demolition audits, inadequate site security, and failure to separate rebar from concrete. Common barriers across both phases include misconceptions that recycled concrete is weak or short-lived, high transport costs, absence of nearby recycling facilities, low Building Information Modelling (BIM) awareness, and inconsistent enforcement of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act (large projects monitored, small projects ignored). The modest sample (n=9) and geographic focus limit generalisability; quantitative waste audits are needed. Integrated strategies include mandatory pre-demolition audits, landfill taxes, decentralised recycling infrastructure, SME-friendly BIM training, and municipal provision of waste storage containers. This study provides the first empirical application of the COM-B behavioural framework to C&D concrete waste in an African urban context, distinguishing construction-phase from demolition-phase barriers.