CHARMAINE CHITATE

A Memoir from the Wetlands/Stuck in the Middle/The Other Side of The Coin

For over a decade, I've listened to the stories of people displaced by climate disasters. I've seen how easily one’s identity can be swept away by the rain or crushed as their house is demolished.

In 2008, after a much-contested presidential election in Zimbabwe, settlers began to build housing structures along the Monavale Vleis. ‘Stuck in the Middle’ is a visual story about people living on borrowed time. These communities are vulnerable to health hazards not only to man- made (technological) hazards, but also natural hazards, including health hazards, as the area is prone to flooding. Human settlements on the Monavale vleis, and other wetlands, are a constant threat to the conservation of wetlands and their biodiversity.

In May 2013, Zimbabwe became a contracting party to the Convention on Wetlands with a total of five wetland sites labelled ‘of international importance’. Established in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, the Convention advocates for the wise use of wetlands and the ecosystem supporting it. Today, Zimbabwe has a total of seven wetlands designated as ‘Ramsar Sites’ and these are: Chinhoyi Caves Recreational Park, Cleveland Dam, Driefontein Grasslands, Lake Chivero and Manyame, Mana Pools National Park, Monavale Wetland (vleis) and Victoria Falls National Park.

Human settlements on the Monavale vleis, and other wetlands, are contributing to the pollution of the wetland as refuse collection services are unavailable to the area – deemed to be unauthorized structures. Unfortunately, a flow of sludge, heaps of plastic, paper, diapers and ‘houses’ are slowly obstructing and replacing the wetland. Because of this clash between nature and the need for housing, the communities are stuck between the threat of a natural disaster and the doom of demolition courtesy of the local council.

This story will engage communities living along the Monavale Wetland which was normally characterised by Miombo woodland, a vleis and open grassland prior to occupation. The vleis just under 600ha in size and only 34ha is under full protection. There is a strong legal framework in place to enforce the protection of the wetland however, due to insufficient political will, inefficiencies or a lack of resources, the level of implementation and enforcements has been lacklustre.

As the rainfall season approaches, the houses in these suburbs are at risk of flooding, as most are built either too close or on the wetlands. With each flooding season, residents watch as their furniture and home devices are swallowed by the water and, at worst, some lose their lives in the flooding. Independent collectives such as residents’ associations and conservationists, have been lobbying for the reduction of borehole drilling and construction on wetlands.

This story will showcase the perspectives of the communities living on the wetland as their stories are rarely told outside of a crisis. It will delve into the impact of human settlements on the Monavale Vleis – the ecology and quality of life there. It will feature visuals of the water damage to housing infrastructure and share the advocacy efforts on conserving the wetlands. The project is meant to encourage readers and viewers to understand and champion the conservation of wetlands.

Striking a balance between urbanisation and conservation in Zimbabwe will require a collaborative and integrated approach. For this and future generations, we need to address the impact climate change, the loss of biodiversity and pollution have on our wetlands and communities as well.