Poor sanitation and hygiene practices : a case of eZimangweni community in Inanda, eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal

Abstract

Purpose of the study - Access to water, proper sanitation facilities and good hygiene practices are critical in disease prevention and health in the community. The right to basic services, comprising of adequate shelter and water, are entrenched in the Republic of South Africa’s Constitution (1996) with the rights to access to both basic water supply and basic sanitation required to guarantee sufficient water and an environment not harmful to health or well-being recognized in the Water Service Act of 1997. Research Problem - In South Africa access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services, remains inadequate and inequitable in many peri-urban and rural communities. Discrimination related to rising unemployment and the remnant of Apartheid separated service delivery system resulted in unequal access to WASH services. About “50% of the world’s population” live in urban and sub-urban areas, and a number of these areas have a deficiency on access to clean water and sanitation necessary for proper health and well-being. Research Methods and Design - The study employed a quantitative study design. Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among households in Ezimangweni in Inanda between March and May 2021. A sample of 170 households was selected by means of the systematic random sampling strategy, where the margin of error was set at 5%. The research was aimed at assessing poor sanitation and hygiene practices in the community of Ezimangweni in Inanda, examine community knowledge related to health and hygiene practices, identify root causes for poor sanitation and assess challenges faced by community members regarding sanitation facility provided. Findings -The research revealed that sanitation and hygiene was very poor in the study area. This is supported by local Community Health Centre reporting 100% of cases of diarrhoea reported on a monthly basis, 66.7% cases of children reporting with blood in the stool and 33.3% of children with Dysentery and 33.3% cases amongst children vomiting. This study has established a strong relationship between poor sanitation, hygiene practices and type of diseases prevalent in the study area. Conclusion - The research has emphasised the vital role of providing sustainable WASH services to communities in order to prevent transmission of diseases and mitigate spread of water-borne illnesses.