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Environmental Vision Coordinator at Somarelang Tikologo, Susan Ocaya, told a workshop on Environmental Vision for Greater Gaborone yesterday that these findings surfaced during a survey conducted to obtain views of the public about the city. The survey was meant to get the people’s vision of the city, raise interest on environmental issues, counter lack of environmental considerations in planning for the city, and provide a proactive tool to assess urban development initiatives from an environmental perspective.

Decision makers viewed poor infrastructure, lateral expansion of the city and uncoordinated planning as contributing to the fragmentation of the city. The most positive aspect of the city was the availability of service infrastructure such as clinics, schools and malls. More than half of the respondents indicated that law enforcement and clean streets ranked highest among the needs.

Ocaya told the workshop that the survey revealed that residents’ participation in the planning of the city was very low. The minority that was previously consulted on planning issues felt the consultation process was not adequate. A majority of the general public enumerated knew that they had the right to be consulted on issues related to the planning process.

Key stakeholders in planning and development of the city felt that the most pressing challenge was lack of resources to allow proper implementation or follow up of projects. They also pointed to a critical shortage of manpower. Some said they experienced difficulties in attempting to integrate environmental policy and legislation. Some respondents perceived environmental issues as trivial. More than half said environmental legislation was not sufficient and specific enough and lack of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Act was viewed as a definite hindrance. None in the corporate sector were aware of their management having any kind of environmental policy but believed companies must bear responsibility towards improving the environment. They also felt that there was insufficient flow of information from government and other authorities on what was required of them. They conceded that environmental awareness in the planning sector was lacking. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Lucas Gakale, said Botswana faced an appalling environmental reality, with immense demands made on the environment. He said there is a struggle to strike a balance between development priorities and the environment. He cited major environmental issues facing Gaborone as degradation, pollution, land dereliction and land use conflicts. He said the illegal harvesting of sand and non-rehabilitation of the burrows left behind lead to land degradation. The waste management problem was recurring with evidence of littering and illegal dumping in undesignated areas all over Gaborone. Gakale maintained that the dumping of construction rubble in open spaces was so prevalent that prime land was being lost. He complained that natural resources were being exploited in an unsustainable manner and fuel wood collection in peri-urban areas has led to the clearing of vegetation and forests.

As part of efforts to take care of the environment, Gakale said the Gaborone City Council is working on a non-motorised transport project to circumvent the negative impact of car usage.