Botswana Journal of Technology

Planning Botswana Conference 2016

2018-12-19T13:16:06+00:00

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OR SUSTAINABLE LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS? DEBATING SUSTAINABLE HUMAN SETTLEMENTS IN BOTSWANA

2018-12-19T13:16:06+00:00

This paper explores the contested nature of sustainable human settlements in Botswana. Sustainable development has attained the status of a catchphrase for actors that include international financial institutions like the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and Development Partners, Non-Governmental Organisation as well as international political organisations like the United Nations and its agencies. As a member of the United Nations (UN), Botswana affirms commitment to the sustainable development agenda within which the quest for sustainable human settlements falls. Despite the wide adoption by diverse actors, sustainable development is highly contested in its conceptualisation and on how it is to be attained. In debating sustainable human settlements in Botswana, there has been little attempt to interrogate the contested nature of the concept. The predominant concept inclines more towards the techno-ecological intergenerational definition associated with the UN’s Agenda 21 where the focus is on reconciling economic development with environmental impacts. The paper argues for a more political definition where the focus is on sustaining lives and livelihoods. We argue that there remain within the country’s normative development planning framework and liberal democratic political system, opportunities for sustainable human settlements models that privilege sustainability of lives and livelihoods. It is suggested that the ideal espoused herein can be reached through the utilisation of sanctioned spaces of participation within the country’s political system and a shift from conventional expert-centred knowledge production to co-production ethos of enquiry and practices.

TOWARDS AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE BUSINESS PERCEPTIONS OF PLANNING IN BOTSWANA

2018-12-19T13:16:06+00:00

There have been persistent criticisms that the planning system is failing to deliver timely decisions and determine planning applications in a sound manner. There is a widespread view amongst stakeholders that the planning system is far less efficient, with the consequent delays and uncertainties seen as disincentives to investors and developers. What is the nature and extent of this problem? What is the basis of these business perceptions of planning? This issue calls into question the economic value of planning. The paper explores the importance of improving the efficiency of the planning system through reducing unnecessary complexity in policy, plan-making and development control. The paper is premised on the supposition that choices planners make are fundamentally about questions of right and wrong, and good and bad. But the ill-defined quality of the problems which confront planners and the multiple interests affected lead to tensions and dilemmas as to the most appropriate choice of actions or values to endorse. Moreover, obligations and actions that are required are likely to be influenced by changing contextual circumstances. The paper therefore hopes to contribute to the debate of the planning system ability to deliver outcomes with regard to economic growth and productivity.

CULTURAL IDENTITY AND PHYSICAL PLANNING IN BOTSWANA - CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

2018-12-19T13:16:06+00:00

Culture as an aspect of human societies is manifested both in tangible and intangible forms. It involves a set of values, beliefs, traditions, rituals and customs defining the society’s identity. Tangible manifestations of culture entail how these cultural aspects are portrayed in physical forms. As such culture of a specific group/society can be expressed in the arts, language and the built environment. In the built environment, it is mostly evident in the architecture and space organisation or planning of a settlement. Although Botswana has a rich and diverse culture, settlement planning in Botswana seems to disregard this aspect. Every village’s, town’s or city’s spatial layout is similar. These hegemonic development plans are based on Eurocentric models which seem to totally disregard the cultural identity and urban grain of local communities as expressed in their customs, rituals and practices. Using empirical evidence from settlement development plans from Molepolole, Tlokweng and Mogoditshane, and other guiding documents, this paper argues that current planning and space organisation models fail to adequately embrace the country’s rich cultural identity. The paper concludes by suggesting pathways for more culturally sensitive urban planning in Botswana.

POPULAR COMMUNITY PERCEPTIONS ON FLOOD DISASTERS AND CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES IN BOTSWANA

2018-12-19T13:16:06+00:00

This paper reports on a 2012-2015 study that set out to investigate the problem that although Botswana is a semi-arid country there have been increasing instances, frequency and intensity of flood disasters in space and time in the country since 2000. Despite this, there have been no major investigations to determine community awareness on the link between climate change, community vulnerability and its resilience capacity to flood disasters and how that could affect the sustainable human settlements drive. The purpose of the study was therefore to assess community perceptions on their vulnerability to floods disasters in human settlements in eastern Botswana based on case studies of Gaborone, Francistown, Mahalapye and Palapye. The stakeholder theory is the analytical framework used. The methodology of the study comprised of a social survey based on a sample of 686 household interviews drawn from the general population in the study area. Complimentary qualitative data was obtained using key informant interviews on officials and community leaders. The main findings were that: first, there was much awareness on the climate change issue among 3 in 5 (63.2%, N=686); second, the majority of the respondents (78.6%, N=686) did not feel that their communities were vulnerable and exposed to flood disasters as a function of climate change; third, overall about 70% of the respondents were neither aware nor prepared for floods disasters induced by climate change; finally, there were mixed results on flood mitigation and resilience strategies identified by communities in the study area. The main conclusion drawn is that most communities were aware of the issue of climate change but there was not much awareness about the risk of flood disasters to communities and assets in settlements. Decision and policy makers, particularly urban planners and environmental engineers are challenged to be aware of the risk of flood disasters such that they encourage sustainable land use planning. Similarly, the two set of professionals should facilitate the design of environmental management infrastructure such as drainage systems that reduce vulnerability of settlements and communities to floods disasters.

PERCEIVED BARRIERS TO RAINWATER HARVESTING AS A SOURCE OF WATER SUPPLY IN BOTSWANA: CASE OF GABORONE CITY

2018-12-19T13:16:06+00:00

Water is considered as a finite resource and urban water supply is a growing issue for many cities and towns as they face rapid population growth, spatial growth and diverse urban activities. In most urban areas underground water levels are declining and the Authorities are struggling to meet the current and future urban water demands. As this process unfolds urban water suppliers are forced to search for new and more water sources. Rainwater harvesting is a potential avenue for source of water that has been exploited successfully elsewhere. Rainwater harvesting is gaining relative significance as an effective long term strategy for supplementing urban water sources. In spite of this, urban areas in Botswana are failing to consider and practice rainwater harvesting as a sustainable development strategy. Water demand is increasing but there are little efforts in harvesting and utilizing rainwater which is a decentralized, local and in-situ water source. In light of this the paper seeks to assess the levels of rainwater harvesting uptake in Gaborone, in particular, and to explore the constraints and opportunities of rainwater harvesting as a supplementary source of water. The paper finds that at household levels, rainwater harvesting is in its infancy stage to the extent that it does not augment the current water supply. Most households deal with rainwater by channeling it outside homesteads (plots) as a form of storm water management.

FLOOD DISASTER VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT OF PHYSICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS IN RAMOTSWA AND TAUNG VILLAGES, BOTSWANA.

2018-12-19T13:16:06+00:00

The paper explores the spatial and physical factors that increase communities’ vulnerability to flood disasters using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The paper is derived from a 2013-2015 study which carried out a vulnerability assessment of factors that contribute to flood disasters in Ramotswa and Taung villages in the South East District of Botswana. The study adopted Turner et al (2003) vulnerability framework which uses exposure, sensitivity, and resilience as part of the vulnerability model. The study provided baseline information that could be used to explore and implement new measures to reduce vulnerability and the severity of the effects of floods on urban and peri-urban settlements. Planning interventions that could be undertaken in urban and peri-urban villages to reduce community vulnerability to flood disasters were also highlighted in the study. Botswana, an active member of the United Nations (UN), is committed to sustainable human settlements planning and development. However, the country is faced with constraints; such as inadequate financial, technical and human resources to enable sustainable human settlements’ planning and development. One of the adversely affected areas is land use planning which reduces the vulnerability of settlements and communities against flood disasters. Globally there has been a long standing recognition within the UN system of the importance of sustainable human settlements in global environmental change. For instance, in 1975 the UN established the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements. In 1992 Agenda 21 was released by the UN to address human settlements issues which included sustainable land use planning and management of disaster-prone areas. More recently, in 2015 the UN adopted seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2016-2030. One of these is SDG 11, which aims to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.” This paper contributes to the debate of issues in sustainable human settlements in Botswana.