The residents of Bulawayo’s slums pay the price of climate change
On the outskirts of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, the Ngozi Mine neighborhood illustrates how marginalized populations bear the full brunt of climate change. Residents face a combination of climate-related risks, such as water shortages, heatwaves, sudden flooding, and pollution from the nearby Richmond landfill. These challenges are not just natural but also the result of political choices and unequal urban development.
Homes, often built from scavenged materials like plastic or sheet metal, offer little protection against the elements. The lack of drinking water networks, sanitation, and electricity further worsens the situation. Yet, despite these harsh conditions, residents do not remain passive. They develop ingenious adaptation strategies: diversifying income sources through the recovery of recyclable waste, creating informal savings groups, and community mutual aid to manage risks.
However, their ability to adapt is limited by a major obstacle: their status as “illegal.” This classification prevents access to municipal services and excludes residents from decision-making processes. Local authorities rarely consider their needs, and the constant threat of eviction discourages any sustainable housing improvements. This exclusion reinforces a vicious cycle where precarity and climate vulnerability feed off each other.
Climate justice, a concept that links environmental issues to questions of rights and equity, highlights this situation. It underscores that the populations least responsible for climate change often suffer its worst effects. In Ngozi Mine, this translates into a glaring inequality in access to basic resources. Residents pay more for water than those in formal neighborhoods, despite having much lower incomes. Infrastructure, such as drainage systems or sturdy housing, is almost nonexistent, even though it could reduce risks.
Technical solutions, such as improving infrastructure, will not be enough on their own. A comprehensive approach is needed, combining legal recognition of residents, inclusion in urban planning processes, and targeted investments. The residents of Ngozi Mine are not passive victims but active contributors capable of building their own resilience. Their local expertise and solidarity show that climate justice also involves recognizing their role in risk management.
The example of Ngozi Mine reveals a broader truth: in many cities of the Global South, slums are not the result of chance but of urban policies that marginalize the poorest. Climate change only amplifies these preexisting inequalities. Without inclusive governance, these communities will continue to bear a disproportionate burden, even though they have already proven their ability to innovate to survive.
References and Sources
About This Study
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s44327-026-00292-2
Title: Climate change, informal settlement governance and justice-oriented urban adaptation in Ngozi mine, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Journal: Discover Cities
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Authors: Witness Dlamini; Vusisizwe Ncube