Social impact assessments in the kingdom of Eswatini

Abstract

Social Impact Assessment (SIA) is a tool used to identify the social impacts associated with a particular planned intervention. It is also effective in identifying the mitigation and monitoring measures to be taken in minimizing the negative social impacts, whilst enhancing the positive benefits brought by planned interventions. SIAs are therefore, an integral part of social development as well as Integrated Environmental Management (IEM). The aim of this study was to identify the challenges faced by the Eswatini Environment Authority and the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs (MoTEA) in implementing SIAs in the Kingdom of Eswatini. Review of scholarly articles and Eswatini environmental legislation provided broad understanding of SIA within the framework of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and environmental management processes. Two questionnaire surveys were then conducted to explore SIA practise in the country through the perspectives of environmental practitioners and community members where development projects have occurred. The content of Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) reports was also scrutinized by the researcher to further gain insights into SIA practice locally. The study revealed that the SIA are poorly implemented mostly due to the weak legal framework governing SIA in the Kingdom of Eswatini. The legislation is outdated and it does not provide guidelines for implementation of SIA. Therefore, proper implementation of SIAs is highly dependent on the practitioner’s experience and understanding of social impacts. The study also revealed a number of weaknesses in the public participation process, often due to the lack of community awareness on social issues related to a particular development project. Mitigation and monitoring of social impacts are poorly implemented due to lack of enforcement of the Polluter Pays Principle (PPP) and inadequate clear guidelines in the way affected communities are compensated. Despite the weaknesses in the SIA implementation and practise in the Kingdom of Eswatini, the study revealed that environmental practitioners are attentive to the role SIAs play in social development and Integrated Environmental Management (IEM) as well as the challenges that hinder enhancement of these. The study provides specific recommendations for strengthening the legal framework and public participation within the ESIA processes in the Kingdom of Eswatini.