Abstract
The environment is fundamental to life, providing us with sustenance, shelter, and the
foundation for our existence. Our wellbeing is directly related to the environment,
which is why we need to coexist with it harmoniously for a sustainable future. Despite
the known benefits provided by the environment, humans continue to degrade it,
compromising its ability to meet its environmental objectives. One of the major causes
of environmental degradation is the development of informal settlements. Informal
settlements are not part of regulated, legal, or planned channels of city development,
and thus receive little government attention. The lack of government support for
informal settlements is a barrier to improving basic services and infrastructure, which
leads to environmental degradation. Failure to provide essential basic services, such
as housing, water supply, proper sanitation, garbage disposal, and proper drainage,
is a significant contributor to environmental degradation. The objective of this study is
to investigate the contributions of informal settlements to environmental issues. To
achieve this objective, a phenomenological mixed-method research design that
integrates both qualitative (questionnaires, interviews, observation) and quantitative
(survey questionnaire) methods of data collection and interpretation was used.
Environmental degradation and basic service delivery concepts were analysed with
the settlement in question. The finding revealed that Setjwetla suffers from a lack of
basic service delivery. Service delivery issues include poor infrastructure and basic
services such as insufficient water, unsafe and overcrowded shelters, inadequate
sanitation, drainage, and refuse removal. Environmental degradation results from the
failure to provide essential basic services such as housing, water supply, refuse
removal, proper sanitation, proper drainage, etc., that allow waste to be properly
disposed of settlement, preventing its retention on land. Failure to provide the above
services results in sewage, solid waste, and wastewater accumulating in the informal
settlement, posing risks to both the environment and human health. The government's
previous approach to improving the informal settlement involved favouring relocation
efforts or providing interim basic services like water, sanitation, electrification, and
solid waste management. However, these provisions were not enough to meet the
growing demand of the population. As a result, the government has now shifted
towards exploring on-site strategies through street upgrading, which has proven to be
an effective alternative to relocation. To provide improved human settlement and
environmental sustainability in Setjwetla, in-situ upgrading, and minimal relocation
methods have been recommended.