Stakeholders’ perceptions of environmental injustices and of community-based environmental education : a case study of the Stortplaats community in KwaZulu Natal

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate stakeholders’ perceptions of environmental injustices and of community-based environmental education at Stortplaats, in order to address the injustices through community-based environmental education. Environmental injustice is a phenomenon that entails the unfair distribution of environmental burdens, disproportionately exposing human life to environmental hazards. Communities in poor socio-economic circumstances are excessively exposed to negative environmental burdens such as sewage oxidation ponds, pollution, unprecedented land degradation due to sand poaching and inadequate infrastructure. Stortplaats faces such an oppressive environment. It was historically created by apartheid, but the current system seems to be paying minimum attention to corrective services. The stakeholder theory, environmental perception framework, place attachment theory and community-based environmental education model were used as frames of reference for this study. This study was informed by the interpretivist paradigm and the case study research design was adopted. A qualitative research approach was used. Convenience and purposive sampling were used to sample 25 participants who included five learners above 18 years, five educators, 10 community members, the chief, the community head, the councillor, a business person and the environmental health officer. Semi-structured individual interview schedules were utilised to gather data. These were complemented by photovoice narrations and indirect observation. A thematic data-analysis approach was used to analyse generated data. The key findings of the study indicate that apartheid contours are still visible at Stortplaats and postapartheid promises have not been kept. The findings also show that some community members lack knowledge about environmental policies and this results in irresponsible environmental behaviour. There is also lack of effective communication between leaders and community members, leading to struggles for power and recognition and causing poor service delivery. Finally, the findings show a need for community-based environmental education to address environmental injustices in Stortplaats.