SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS IN THE MUNICIPAL NEIGHBORHOOD OF MUTAUANHA, IN THE AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF NAMPULA-MOZAMBIQUE

Abstract

The research aimed to evaluate the socio-environmental impacts of informal settlements in the Mutauanha neighborhood, Nampula City – Mozambique. To deepen the topic, the theoretical framework addressed issues such as the concept of informal settlement, the origin and causes of informal settlements, the main socio-environmental impacts of informal settlements, and the legal framework regarding the use and occupation of urban land. The research conducted is qualitative and adopted the inductive method as its approach. In this sense, the research employed direct observation, questionnaire surveys, interviews, and document analysis as data collection techniques. Based on the research, it was found that the causes behind the emergence of the informal settlement are: lack of municipal oversight; ignorance and weak performance of neighborhood secretaries; collusion of secretaries in the sale of land; the highly attractive nature of the area, located near economic activity centers offering temporary or permanent employment; and the poverty of the population, as they had no housing alternatives and acquired land illegally. However, the informal settlement has impacts such as lack of basic service provision to the population; poor environmental sanitation characterized by the absence of drainage networks (stormwater, sewage, and potable water); poor solid waste management; pollution of surface water bodies; soil pollution; and groundwater contamination.