| Home
Programmes
Resources
Press
Information
Membership
Links
Search
Contact
Us |
The
Forgotten Suburb of Msunduza
 |
Msunduza high-density suburb
2kms east of Mbabane is home to about 42 thousand people. This marginalised
suburb is reminiscent of squalid conditions of popular suburbs "ghettoes"
in |
Southern Africa such as Soweto
(South Africa), Mbare and St Marys (Zimbabwe). As you walk into this suburb
you are confronted with dilapidated houses, staunch smells, litter floods
and poor sanitation facilities. One cannot help but feel remorse for people
who live in such appalling conditions.
There is massive unemployment
and the majority of the workers are employed as maids, gardeners and guards
in nearby plush suburbs. These residents prefer to live in Msunduza because
of its strategic proximity to the city and plush suburbs.
 |
"Msunduza is my home. I was
born here and lived here for the past 53 years," says Zachariah Nhlabatsi,
a vegetable vendor and ratepayer at Msunduza Market. "We have water problems,
our toilets have no washing basins," |
lamented Zachariah. Our refuse
facility usually fills up fast before the relevant authorities collect
the refuse, he added. Vendors at this market have access to water
from 9:00 to 10:30 am every day after which the tapes are locked. It is
during this period that vendors have to ensure they have washed all their
fruits and vegetables and filled up their water containers. Zachariah mentioned
that water rationing was introduced six months ago following "misuse."
Customers find it difficult to wash fruits bought from the market. Anthony
Macome, a vendor at the same market for the past 12 years shared the same
sentiments as Zachariah. He added that they need bins to dispose waste
from fruits and vegetables.
 |
As a result of overcrowding
and poor sanitation, the residents of Msunduza are exposed to diseases
such as tuberculosis (TB), diarrhea, skin infections and sexually transmitted
infections. |
Most of the houses are built with
mud and pole and metal scraps. In addition these houses have poor ventilation.
According to France Mthembu, a one-roomed house is accommodating an average
of six people. Rubbish dumps are a common site and are situated adjacent
to houses. These are providing breeding grounds for flies, which is a health
hazard, says Rosemary Msibi, an elderly resident. Msunduza suburb has appalling
toilet facilities. Public toilets are inadequate and residents opt to use
pit latrines and "bucket system."
Msunduza residents have communal
taps, which are controlled through locking by an appointed person by the
community. These taps are only open from 06:00 to 09:00 am and 16:00 to
18:00 pm. James Nxumalo, a resident of Msunduza expressed his disappointment
in water restrictions. He maintains that very few people have the time
to collect enough water to meet household chores. "Residents especially
those who work as maids and guards are most affected since they have to
report for work at 07:00 am and they return from work at 18:00," says Mr.
Jabulani Nxumalo, elected councilor and mayor of Msunduza.
 |
Some residents have problems
in storing adequate water. They queue for water using buckets and pay a
monthly fee of 10 Emalangeni. Fortunate residents have private taps, which
they let |
out for a fee. However access
to these are limited because of time and financial constraints added Mr.
Jabulani Nxumalo. Besides problems of water residents need to be
educated on basic hygiene, nutrition and alcohol abuse says a local nurse
who has been a resident of Msunduza for the past 20 years. She added that
this education should begin at the household level to schools and the community
at large. Although HIV/AIDS has taken center stage in this community, other
equally deadly diseases such as TB, diarrhea, and cholera should not be
forgotten about, says the nurse. HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, cholera and other
diseases are exacerbated by poor socio-economic conditions.
 |
Efforts to uplift Msunduza
under the Urban Development Programme have been limited to roads infrastructure
and communal washing basins. However, the communal washing basins have
become a white elephant because they do not have taps and water. |
On the contrary if you take
a
walk along the northern suburbs of Mbabane you are greeted with luxurious
houses, sweet scent from blossoming flowers reminiscent of Sandton in Johannesburg,
Constantia in Cape Town and Borrowdale Brooks in Zimbabwe.This situation
mirrors the development paradigm between countries of the north and south,
and between rich and poor citizens.
Access to safe and healthy
shelter is essential to a person's physical, psychological, social and
economic well-being and should be a fundamental part of national and international
action. The Msunduza situation is a sad story. It is now 10 years after
the RIO Earth Summit where heads of state and government made commitments
to provide adequate health and human settlements. We still, however, find
places such as Msunduza tumbling in abject poverty.
The problems of Msunduza residents
could be reduced if Mr. Jabulani Nxumalo’s plans turn into reality. Mr.
Nxumalo has managed to secure funds for the building of a community hall,
which he hopes, will be used for various activities by aspiring entrepreneurs.
In addition, this hall is going to be used for supplementary lessons to
school dropouts. Mr. Nxumalo also has plans to provide space for small-scale
business at strategic places within the community. He hopes to replace
pit latrines with flushing toilets and improve the sewage system. In addition,
he is working towards establishing a Police post, and telephone booths.
Mr. Nxumalo’s initiatives to
improve Msunduza suburb cannot be done single-handedly. He is collaborating
with the Salvation Army, Methodist Church and the Roman Catholic Church.
However, these efforts need to be based on technical cooperation activities,
partnerships among the public, NGOs, private and community sectors and
participation in the decision-making process by community groups and special
interest groups.
|
