Overview of chapter
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People are dependent on
the natural environment for meeting all their
needs, and therefore the interactions between people and the environment cannot be separated. What is important, is to study the impacts of using resources and how best to manage these, so
that human and environmental needs can be met,
now and in the
future.
Political, economic
and social inequities of the past have resulted
in high poverty rates, high levels of illiteracy
and unemployment, and distorted patterns of
resource use and waste generation. Recent
political reforms aim to redress these
inequities, and to improve quality of life among
all South Africans. These reforms take
cognisance of environmental issues in terms of
the capacity of the environment to meet basic
needs, and adhere to sustainable development
guidelines. The rapid growth rate of the
population is a critical factor in whether such
strategies can
succeed.
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People have inhabited South Africa for at least the last 8000 years, and have used the natural resources for food, shelter, energy, and other needs. The ways humans have used and managed the environment have changed over the years, but in the last century the population has grown exponentially,
reaching a current total of over 40 million. Exponential population growth is not unique to South Africa, however, and in light of this, there has been greater attention both nationally and internationally on sustainable development. This means meeting social needs, for present and future generations by sustainable development.
For more background information about the social environment, read this section.
The focus in South Africa at present is on meeting basic needs (i.e. ensuring that all citizens have proper housing, water supply and sanitation, electricity, health care and other services). There have also been radical changes to the Constitution, so that it now reflects the interests of all sectors of the population, creates empowerment of individuals and communities, and upholds the rights of humans and the environment.
South Africa also recognises and has participated in international efforts to promote sustainable development, including the adoption of Agenda 21, and a commitment to implementing it at the national, provincial and local levels.
For more information about the causes of social change, read this section.
The South African population is growing, and more people means greater demands on the natural resources and environmental services, as well as increasing the amount of waste and pollution that is generated. There has also been an enormous movement of people to urban areas, both from rural areas and from other countries. This concentrates the pressures on the environment, and can lead to problems of sanitation, pollution and crime, directly affecting human health and quality of life.
Differences in wealth among the people of South Africa have also pressurised natural resources. The more affluent people tend to consume more resources and generate more waste, on a commercial and domestic level. Wealthier people, for example, tend to use more resources such as energy and water, and commercial agricultural and industrial development transforms natural habitats, and generates wastes and pollution. Poor people exert different environmental pressures, cultivating unsuitable areas of land, overgrazing the veld, and removing large quantities of wood for fuel.
Changes in values and beliefs have also contributed to environmental change in South Africa. As people move away from rural areas into an urban, often consumerist setting, they lose the connection with nature, and forget the importance of maintaining environmental services such as water resources.
For more information about the pressures social change is putting on the environment, read this section.
The population in South Africa was 40.6 million in 1996, and is growing at about 2% per year. If this trend persists, by the year 2035, there will be nearly 82 million people living in South Africa, and dependent on the same level of natural resources which are already under pressure to adequately meet demand. Roughly half these people live in towns and cities, and many live in informal and inadequate housing. In both rural and urban centres, many people do not have access to water supply and sanitation, electricity, and other services. The population is more mobile now than in the last century, and factors such as employment opportunities, land reform and restitution, and immigration from other countries, are causing the population in urban centres to grow rapidly.
Levels of poverty are highest amongst the Black population, reaching over 60%. Unemployment on a national basis is also high, and highest among the Black population. Although the education system has been reformed and all South Africans now have access to education, approximately 7.5 million people are functionally illiterate. These, and other factors, contribute to the high crime rates currently experienced in many urban centres.
Although most people have access to health services, public facilities are often under-resourced and unable to meet demands. For reasons of cost or culture, many people also seek the help of traditional healers. The most important notifiable disease is tuberculosis, accounting for nearly 4% of all deaths. The extent of HIV infection and AIDS is not accurately known at this time, but projections include a reduction in life expectancy to 40 years by 2010, and a loss of 20% of the work force within the next six to seven years.
For more information about the status of the social environment in South Africa, read this section.
More people means more demand for resources. In 1996 domestic demand for water was 11% of the total. By 2030 it is predicted that this demand will increase to 23% of the total. Already alternative sources of freshwater (such as desalination of sea water and importing water from other countries) are being investigated to meet this demand, although these are currently prohibitively expensive and may not be environmentally sustainable.
Uncontrolled settlement development can also result in problems of pollution, health hazards, and inadequate housing and service provision, contributing to informal sector activities and crime. Natural resources in areas surrounding settlements are generally under greater pressures than those in areas of less dense human habitation.
The impacts of poverty on the environment include deforestation from excessive collection of wood for fuel, soil degradation through cultivation of unsuitable soils, and exploitation of rare and endangered species to supplement incomes.
An inability to adequately provide for the basic needs of the population will lead to collapse of the natural ecosystem services and deterioration in quality of life.
For more information about social change and its impacts on the environment, read this section.
The government has developed a number of policies and passed a number of laws which aim to alleviate the pressures of social imbalances on natural resources, and to promote sustainable development. These include the Reconstruction and Development Programme, a White Paper on Population Policy, and the National Crime Prevention Strategy.
The government has also initiated several housing development schemes, electrification and water services schemes, as well as identifying focal areas for economic development and job creation. The largest proportion of the national budget is directed towards education, reflecting the government's priority concern of nation building and empowerment of its people.
For more information about the response to society's impacts on the environment, read this section.
The success of these government initiatives is dependent on the capacity and financial resources to carry them out within a sustainable development framework.
Continued growth, or stabilisation, of the population will be a deciding factor in the success of sustainable development strategies. If standards of living improve, birth rates are predicted to fall, and the population may stabilise. However, even under these conditions, if the number of households continues to increase, there will still be increased demand for space, services, infrastructure, and waste disposal.
The impact of HIV and AIDS on the population is uncertain, however, it is likely that the disease will have the greatest impact on the economically active section of the population, and could reduce growth in GDP by 2-3% by 2010.
For more information about the outcomes of the responses to impacts on the environment caused by social change, read this section.
There are linkages between the social environment and some of the other issues addressed in this report.
To find out more about these linkages, read this section.
Reporting on the state of the environment requires access to accurate, up to date information.
To find out more about data issues with regard to the social environment, read this section.
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There is also information about the Social Environment in the following reports:
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Metropolitan reports:
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Affairs and Tourism. All Rights Reserved.
Site maintained by the Directorate Environmental Information and Reporting
Last update: October 1999
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