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Wow, a whole year is just about over. Isn’t it just amazing how quickly the year proceeded? It was quick indeed, with many threats, opportunities and challenges, not only for Swaziland but the entire Southern African Development Community (SADC).

2002 has been a difficult year not only for Swaziland but the whole of Southern Africa. The region is currently facing chronic hunger with about 13 million people facing famine. Swaziland has about 200 000 starving Swazis and about 66% of the population live below the international poverty line. Approximately 270 000 people will be without food by the end of this year according to the World Food Programme. Erratic rainfall stunted this year’s crop of maize, which is seen as the national staple diet. The disaster is expected to worsen, as El Nino weather conditions will bring dry, rainless weather for another devastating drought in 2003. The current lack of rainfall is compromising food security not only for people but livestock, ecosystems and Swaziland’s water quality. 

Water is a precious and scarce resource that many Swazis take for granted in their daily lives. Water is, however, vulnerable to national and local factors such as growing demands of urban and rural populations, worsening water pollution, land and catchment degradation, destruction of aquatic ecosystems and greater competition over water. Swaziland is committed as a signatory to the SADC Protocol on Shared Watercourses, to focus on the Regional Strategic Action Plan for Integrated Water Resources Development and Management in the SADC countries. 

The year 2002, however, saw many water pollution incidences. Pollution hotspots identified include Bhunya, the sugar mills (Simunye, Mhlume, Big Bend) and the factory shells, mining areas (Maloma), USA Distillers, Havelock Asbestos Mine to mention a few. Some industries are causing aquifer pollution by drilling super-deep boreholes not for purpose of extracting water, but for the purpose of dumping industrial waste into underground water supplies. These incidences have usually been industrial polluters who were discharging waste and effluents into nearby streams and watercourses. The Swaziland Environmental Authority (upholding the principles of the SADC Protocol on Watercourses) created history by taking USA Distillers to court for polluting the Great Usuthu River, which eventually flows into neighbouring Mozambique. Cattle also pose a significant problem to the water quality of rivers and streams. Livestock usually get dipped in chemicals, urinate and defecate in streams and rivers. With the drought looming 2003 there will be less dissipation of impurities, and the pollutants in our watercourses will become more concentrated. 

The year also saw the World Summit on Sustainable Development. Whether it was a success or failure, the message was clear and simple: we all have an obligation to live sustainably for future generations. Other emerging issues in 2002 was the increase in HIV/AIDS, inflation of basic goods and services, biodiversity being threatened at the expense of sugarcane production, land conflicts, lack of civil society participation in New Economic Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) and the construction of Millennium Projects.

Yonge Nawe would like to see 2003 as a year where individuals at a household, community and national level take concerted efforts to improve the environment for future generations. Let us all begin with a reflection of our basic practises and make this world a better place in which to live in. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy pollution free New Year!!