Urbanisation -problems associated & the possible solutions NHLIZIYO DUMISANI

Urbanisation-problems associated& the possible solutions[Preliminary Study 1]

Rahul Nair Date : 9/12/2014

Def....The process by which towns & cities grow bigger & more people go to live in them, (Mac Millan dictionary).Urbanisation is a process whereby an increasing proportion of a nations population live in urban areas (Waugh, 1990).Other scholars have simply defined Urbanisation as the proportion of a country that is urban.

Def ...cont*Urbanisation implies a cultural & social psychological process whereby people acquire the material & non-material culture, including behavioural patterns form of organisation & ideas that originated in or are distinctive of the city.Debji (1991), defined urbanisation as a process of concentration, which in two ways: the multiplication of the points of concentration and the increase in size of individual concentrations.

Def.cont.*Urbanization is the shift from a rural to and urban society & involves an increase in the number of people in urban areas during a particular year.It is a result of the outcome of social, economic, & political developments that lead to urban concentration & growth in large cities, changes in land use & transformation from rural metropolitan pattern of organization to governance

Global Urbanisation TrendsGlobal urban population is growing at a rapid pace from 17% in 1951 to 20% in 2001 and approaching 41% by 2030 (Kadi, 2012).Developing countries urbanise faster than developed countries hence they face greater challenges of urbanisationU.S.A was 40% urbanised in 1890, 70% in 1960 and 75+ % in 1990.This gradual pace is in contrast with that one of developing nations e.g. Korea was 40% in 1970 and 78% in 1990 (Henderson, 2002).

Global urbanisation trendsBy 2005 more than half of the worlds population will be in urban areas; over two-thirds of this population will be in Less Developed Countries, as alleged by the world population patterns

Major Causes Of Urbanisation (India)1). Natural Increase High birth rates than death rates fuelled by improved medical care, better sanitation and improved food supply which lower death rates2).Migration rural poverty drives people from rural areas into large cities in search for greener pastures(employment, food shelter, education etc. ) Pushed out by factors e.g. poverty, environmental degradation, religious strife, political persecution, food insecurity, lack of basic infrastructure and services in rural areas.* Urbanisation in an Indian context was not a result of industrialisation but of absolute poverty(in rural Areas).

migrationcont.* or because people are pulled into urban areas by advantages and opportunities of the city (education, electricity, water, employment etc.)

Even though in many Indian States the urban areas offer few jobs for the youths, they are attracted there by amenities of urban life (Tarver, 1996).

Problems associated with Urbanisationa). Unemployment One of the significant feature of urbanisation in Africa is that unlike in Asia and Europe, much growth is taking place in the absence of significant industrial expansion, (Nsiah ).Consequently this lead to a large number of unemployed masses in urban areas

Problems cont.*b). Pollution i).Air pollution has resulted from the emission of gasses, fumes and waste smoke into the atmosphere. Overdependence on motorised transport has also contributed to air pollution ( large amount of exhaust fumes)

Problems pollution cont.*ii). Water pollution has resulted from poor sewage facilities(inability of town municipals to handle ever increasing urban population), disposal of industrial waste and/or heavy metals into water bodies iii). Noise pollution from large factory engines, motor vehicle idling, unreasonably high radio volumes

iv). Land pollution uncollected refuge hips, people littering everywhere

Problems Cont.*c) Poor Sanitation. Population growth-both natural increase & immigration- is always ahead of the housing supply in urban area.Rapid increase in urbanites surpass gvt & town planners ability to provide adequate accommodation. Consequently the poor are forced to crowd into already squalid slums or settler settlements as temporary alternatives.

ProblemsPoor Sanitation (Stats)The Herald(1999), Harare on its own has a long waiting list that is more than 100 000 and today the population stands at over one million (Madzingira et al, 2002)These figures could have doubled considering the fact that 14 years have passed since these figure were published and the rapid increase in urbanisation for developing countries.Rate of urban growth is so great that the government cannot adequately supply accommodation, social services, health care, transportation services

Problems Cont.*d).Disease OutbreaksThe urban population is more vulnerable to diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Malaria and S.T.IsUnhealthy environments & overcrowded housing in slums exposes the urban poor to high rates of infectious diseases e.g. pneumonia, T.B, diarrhoea, Cholera.

Problems Cont.*e). Traffic Jam Using a private car has become very common in the world and such an attitude creates traffic congestion in urban areas

Problems Cont.*f). Increased crime and anti social behaviour Unemployed surplus in urban areas usually resort to crime & prostitution in order to sustain their livelihoods.

Problems Cont.Water & Sewage problemsFacilities are often ancient and inadequate to support the ever increasing population levelsVery little of sewage is collected as a result and the is left to flow in pathwaysProviding the infrastructure for collection and treatment of solid & liquid waste is often beyond the resource of mage cities

Possible solutionsThe most effective way to tackle urbanisation is to make the economy of villages and small scale fully viableEconomies can be revitalized if the government undertakes a massive rural development programmeSurplus rural manpower should be absorbed in the village themselves so as to reduce rural to urban migration

Possible solutions(traffic problems)The most effective way to curb traffic congestion in urban areas is to encourage the population to use public transportControl of volumes of traffic heavy haulage trucks should not be allowed to enter the inner cityIncrease road capacity (dual carriage systems)Improve the traffic control systems- traffic lights should be fully computerized and constantly serviced

Possible solutionsUrban SlumsGovernments should construct low cost multi storey flats to accommodate the slum dwellersPromote schemes that involve the provision of tracts of urban land, which are divided into plots and provided with basic supporting services e.g. water, drainage and electricity. The plots are then either sold or leased to those who wish to build their own home on them. Construction of skyscrapers to ease the problem e.g. in Hong Kong where the idea has been more of a norm

Possible solutions Cont.Encourage people to enter into the informal sector to ease unemployment and anti social behavioursGovernment should provide funds to promote entrepreneurship so that part of the surplus un employed will be employedSolutions to pollution problems include: banning heavy vehicles from CBD's; developing cleaner fuels, and providing more litter bins in CBD's.

Possible solutions Cont.Some cities have encouraged the growth of out-of-town shopping centres to help traffic, land price and pollution problems, by taking some of the focus away from the CBDGovernment should introduce schemes where the local community will be closely involved in the planning and building of new houses. Often the government provide the materials, whilst the local people built the buildings. The government will then provide an improved infrastructure and sewer systems

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