**3. Conclusions**

Informal settlement in Masvingo city has been left out in the waste management system of the city and this does not auger well with sustainable housing. They are living without important services such as waste collection and this is not sustainable. Waste is indiscriminately dumped in open spaces, roadsides and river banks and this is polluting the environment. Pollution of the environment does not constitute sustainable housing. The water bodies are no longer able to sustain aquatic life as it is heavily polluted. The people are living in unhealthy environments characterised by rudimental waste management practices. Waste collection services are non-existing in informal settlement because the city of Masvingo has not included informal settlements in their waste collection schedule. This has prompted the people in informal settlements to employ rudimental ways of managing their waste. These rudimental ways include, burning of waste, dumping, and recycling. These rudimental ways of managing waste however cause further environmental problems for example burning of wastes exacerbates climate change problems. The local initiatives that are employed by people in informal settlements therefore, are worsening the environmental dilemma of the city. Those that just throw their waste indiscriminately pollute the environment and those that heap waste are creating habitants for disease causing agents such as mosquitoes and rats. This again escalates the threat to safety and liveability of their spaces and is not sustainable.
