The Swaziland Environment Action Plan (SEAP)

Contents | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8

4.0 HUMAN SETTLEMENTS, POLLUTION AND HEALTH

Swaziland is one of the smallest countries of the world but records one of the highest population growth rates of 3.4% percent per annum, and very rapid urbanisation (3 to 5% per annum). This has been manifested in the development of unplanned settlements with low quality housing, poor sanitation and unhealthy living conditions and shortage of job opportunities for the urban population. These conditions have resulted in a significant deterioration of the environment and natural resource base. Rapid population growth and urbanization have also outpaced the provision of basic services of housing, water, sanitation, education and health facilities. Settlement patterns and other landuse-related problems have become exacerbated by the rapid population growth process. Seventy percent of the people live in rural areas without proper basic infrastructure services like water supply, sanitation or electricity. This situation promotes the current high rate of rural-urban migration.

4.1 Environmental Problems Related to Human Settlement and Health

The following problems are associated with human settlements and health. The incidence and degree of seriousness vary according to location, age group, gender and economic status:

1. Diseases - most killer diseases in Swaziland are due to poor environmental sanitation in and around human settlements. The diseases are mainly diarrhoeal in nature, e.g. typhoid, hepatitis and cholera. About 80% of all sicknesses and diseases in Swaziland can be traced to unsafe water that either effects people directly, or serves as breeding ground for diseases and insect vectors. In an analysis of the leading causes of total inpatient deaths for two sentinel years (1989 and 1994, the top four leading causes were: environmentally-related, bacterial, non-vaccine preventable and cardiovascular. There was a 12% increase in environmentally related deaths between the two sentinel years. Deaths from oral/gastrointestinal causes also increased significantly (54%) during that period.
2. Pollution - there are three main areas in which pollution can be identified in human settlements in Swaziland: water, air and the land/soil. Sources of water pollution are traced mainly to existing manufacturing industries and increased sedimentation due to poor landuse. Air pollution, mainly from fuel burning, e.g. sawdust in pulp mills, and factories is not adequately monitored in the country, but that does not alter its effects on health. Examples of contamination of land, especially soil cover, are widespread. The most dangerous contaminants to health include several types of pesticides used in agriculture, and heavy metals such as lead, mercury and arsenic, generated in the mining and manufacturing industries.
3. Solid waste (refuse) disposal - this is a major human settlement problem which affects health in Swaziland. Many urban centres dispose of domestic and commercial refuse by means of crude dumping and few urban dumping sites are properly managed, thus resulting in surface and ground water contamination.
4. Overcrowding - inadequate housing provision affects the health of people. insecure residential tenure or inadequate, overcrowded housing that lack basic sanitation and ventilation constitute direct health threats, especially, among residents in low-income settlements.
5. Gender-Related Issues - in Swaziland the most important gender-related issues affecting human settlements and health sector are closely linked to the status and role of women in society. The social and economic status of women in Swaziland society is influenced by both customary and modern laws, which regard women as minors. As a result, decisions about their lives and those of their children are often made for them by men. Since they make contribution to the domestic economy, reproduction, child care and upbringing, the disadvantaged position of women in society contributes to poor quality of life among the majority of the Swazi population.

4.1.1 Policy

There is no comprehensive Urban Land and Environmental Policy. However, there are structure plans in most urban areas (de facto policy). An Urban Government Policy has been approved by cabinet and a draft of a new Urban Government Act and Regulations to implement it has been prepared. Furthermore, there are plans to prepare a Physical Planning and Development Control Act in 1997.

4.1.2 Priority Actions