Anti-Environmentalism, Gender and Employment: Contestations Over the Construction of the ‘Frog Hotel' On Harare, Zimbabwe's Wetlands, 2012-2018

Abstract

Page 190 Africa in the World: Shifting Boundaries and Knowledge Production Bernard Kusena, Rhodes University Anti-Environmentalism, Gender and Employment: Contestations Over the Construction of the ‘Frog Hotel’ On Harare, Zimbabwe’s Wetlands, 2012-2018 Anti-environmentalism has gained traction as an emerging theoretical framework. and its impact on understanding the shifting boundaries of knowledge production on gender and environment arenas in Zimbabwe has been eventful and far reaching. Following the need to create jobs and increase gender balance in employment, various theorists have questioned the logic of preserving wetlands where projects that created employment could be erected. Zimbabwe Tourism Authority’s Chief Executive Officer and ardent advocate of antienvironmentalism, Karikoga Kaseke, argued that it was irrational to sacrifice potential jobs in order to save a few trees and frogs. This was in response to the heated debate over the desirability of constructing a multi-million dollar Long Cheng Plaza, nicknamed ‘the Frog Hotel’, on Harare’s wetland. The cost to the environment was considered insignificant compared to the potential for wealth generated by the project. While scholars have written extensively in favour of nurturing the environment, a gap still exists on how to balance the invidious positions between the economics of keeping the swamps intact and building investment projects on wetland areas to offset the country’s staggering ninety percent unemployment rate. This paper argues that the setting up of Long Cheng Plaza against pressure from environmentalists has proved that Zimbabwe’s efforts towards creation of wealth and reduction of gender disparities have been turned around by this project. This is particularly so in light of the fact that, alongside men, huge numbers of women have also taken up jobs in the shops within the complex. The paper first debates the contestations over changing land use patterns in urban centres, before it proceeds to address the impact of antienvironmentalism on gender and employment using primary documents. It also relies on interviews conducted at the site with various key stakeholders, in addition to secondary sources in ventilating these issues. Tackson Makandwa, University of Witwatersrand Voices of Mothers: Narratives of Alternative Maternal Healthcare and Help-Seeking among Migrant Women in Johannesburg, South Africa Background: In South Africa, the majority of migrants are found in urban centres in particular Johannesburg in Gauteng province – where legal, illegal and asylum seekers face xenophobia, and xenophobic attitude on a daily basis including in accessing maternal healthcare. Although there is substantial debate on migrants and their health and well being– little is known about their alternative maternal healthcare and help-seeking behaviours in the city. Objective: This paper considers the alternative maternal healthcare and help seeking behaviours (particularly faith-based practices) among cross-border Zimbabwean and South African migrant women in Johannesburg, South Africa.Methods: Using qualitative approaches in inner-city Johannesburg, the fieldwork involved site visits in region F (one of the 7 health regions in the city of Johannesburg) public healthcare facilities which cover the inner-city space. In-depth interviews (repeated sometimes) were conducted with migrant women (both cross border Zimbabwean and South African). Results: findings of the study illustrate how fear and uncertainty of risk motivates the participants to pursue alternative healthcare systems mainly faith based healthcare services in the city while maintaining their medical/clinical schedules. The study illustrates how religion and health are interconnected particularly on how the pregnant body and its vulnerability can be understood. Most of the participants in this study exercise choice and critical judgement about the health care systems available to them in the city, as they intensify praying to the higher being for protection, safe delivery and blessings.