Explore the vast range of titles available.

Wetlands are some of the most productive natural ecosystems in Zimbabwe as they provide a wide range of goods and services. The article examines spatial and temporal changes in wetland utilization patterns as well as threats to these fragile ecosystems and proffers suggestions to achieve sustainable use of wetlands. Literature on wetland use shows that cultivation (73%) and livestock grazing (36%) are the dominant wetland use activities in Zimbabwe. Combined with urban housing development, these land uses are the biggest contributors to wetland degradation and loss. About 57% and 27% of wetlands are in the moderately and severely degraded categories respectively. However, the effect of land uses, especially cultivation, on wetland ecology, is heterogeneous. Livestock grazing changes vegetation structure and composition and, ultimately, disturbs the wetland’s hydrology. Settlement establishment results in the disappearance of the wetland ecosystem. Considering that the two dominant land uses, cultivation and livestock grazing, are cornerstones of rural economies, there is need for further research to understand spatial variations on the impacts of similar land uses on different wetland types in different geographical settings. Therefore, further research should be done to understand the sustainability of human land uses on different wetland types, depending on their hydrogeomorphic characteristics, in order to continually promote sustainable development of the dependent societies.

The paper assesses local people’s perceptions on the impact of drought on wetland ecosystem services and the associated household livelihood benefits, focusing on the Driefontein Ramsar site in Chirumanzu district, Zimbabwe. Field data were obtained using a questionnaire from 159 randomly selected households, key informant interviews and transect walks. The study findings show that provisioning, regulating and supporting services are severely affected by a high frequency of drought, occurring at least once every two years, compared to cultural services. There is a reduction in water for domestic use and crop farming, pasture for livestock, fish, thatch grass and ground water recharge. Although cultural services such as traditional rain-making ceremonies and spiritual enhancement are largely unaffected by drought, the wetland’s aesthetic value was reported to be diminishing. The habitat and breeding areas of endangered crane bird species were perceived to be dwindling, affecting their reproduction. All the household heads are not formally employed and largely depend on the wetland resources for food and income. However, drought is adversely affecting wetland-based agricultural activities that are key pillars of the households’ economy. Therefore, there is a need for alternative livelihood strategies that enable local communities to adapt to drought impacts without exerting more pressure on the declining wetland resources.

Wetland degradation and loss is continuing at an alarming rate in communal areas of Zimbabwe. Although poorly mapped at national scale, communal wetlands have been over utilized and undermanaged posing threats to the existence of these valuable ecosystems. The article examines the contestations and struggles in the use and protection of wetland ecosystems in communal areas of Zimbabwe, with special focus on Intunjambili wetland located in Matobo district. To solicit data, the study adopted a household questionnaire survey, semi-structured interviews with key informants and field observations. The Ostrom theory (1990) was used as a lens to explore how contestations and struggles at wetland scale undermine wise use, as guided by the Ramsar framework. The study findings show that the majority of the households (90%) revealed that conflicts related to wetland use are experienced in the area. Chi-square test results show that there is an association between household head’s socio-demographic characteristics (p < 0.05) and knowledge on conflicts in use and protection of communal wetlands. About 70% households highlighted that crop cultivation is a major threat to wetland protection as it is associated with excessive water abstraction that depletes ground water and disturbs the hydrology. The study recommends that profits obtained from the sale of horticultural products be reinvested to maintain the wetland, for example, buying fence to protect the wetland core area since it has been destroyed.

This study assessed the safety and health concerns of undocumented Zimbabwean migrants living in Francistown, Botswana. In this study, a mixed method research design was adopted to enhance the quality of results. Data was gathered using two sets of questionnaires, interviews juxtaposed with observations. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23.0. The findings show that there are several safety and health challenges that undocumented immigrants encounter which include inaccessible healthcare, poor accommodation and unsafe working environments. The study recommends that, both the Botswana and Zimbabwe governments must work together to organize the undocumented immigrants in Botswana and engage them in various jobs at minimum lawful wages.

Near miss reporting has historically been a challenge in the mining industry. The research sought to examine the challenges associated with the reporting of near miss incidents at a mine in the Midlands Province of Zimbabwe. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods was used as observations were juxtaposed with 150 questionnaires randomly distributed among the employees. Interviews were conducted with key informants such as; SHE Officers, SHE Representatives and Mine Captains. To analyse data, the Statistical Package for Social Sciences 23.0 (SPSS) was exploited. The research revealed that at risky behaviour, inattention to hazards, unsafe working conditions were the main causes of near miss incidents. Injuries included; lacerations (29%), crushes (23%), and sprains (20%). Numerous factors such as fear of victimisation, employee attitude and lack of comprehensive training complicate near miss incident reporting. This was not surprising as the majority (65.33%) did not report near misses they had experienced which clearly points out that a lot of near miss incidents go unreported. Near miss reporting systems at the mine were found to be poor and scrappy. Employees indicated that near misses reported verbally are not documented hence they are not accounted for; which puts the effectiveness of such systems into question. Findings conclusively indicated that near miss reporting remains a challenge as campaigns and systems put in place have failed to yield desirable results. The study advocates for fiscal support from the SHE department to reward employees who report incidents so as to motivate others.

The study was carried to give a comprehensive overview of different types of ergonomic risks among refuse collectors at Chitungwiza Municipality of Harare District. Descriptive cross-sectional design was used to collect data during the study because it applies both quantitative and qualitative techniques. During the study data was collected using observations, questionnaires and interviews as well as secondary data sources. Generally, 100% of the refuse collectors who participated as questionnaire respondents indicated that they are exposed to musculoskeletal disorders notably muscular strain, shoulder pain and back injuries. Poor lifting techniques, manual loading of waste, awkward postures and carrying of heavy loads were indicated as factors which expose refuse collectors to ergonomic risks at Chitungwiza Municipality in Harare. Causes of ergonomic risks raised by the respondents of the study causes the paper to put attention on measures used to manage risks at the municipalities. Safety training, medical examination and induction were some of the measures used to manage ergonomic risks raised by the refuse collectors. Based on the findings of this research paper, several recommendations were provided notably, continuous training and education, regular health monitoring, improvement of work organisation and collaboration and stakeholder engagement.