Abstract

Lesotho, a small country with about two millioninhabitants and completely enmeshed within South Africa, isone of the developing countries and emerging/subsistenceeconomies. Faced with ongoing urbanization and the pressuresthat this puts on the environment, public health and safetyconcerns are rife, calling for adequate steps to be taken. This isespecially given the fact that various industrial and agriculturalpractices take place in the country and, in particular, given thecloseness of the people and animals, increasing the risk ofzoonotic diseases.<br>This research highlighted, through a desk study and sitevisits, a situational analysis of the current rate at whichemerging economies such as Lesotho are becoming modernisedthrough so-called urbanization, and the impacts that this mayhave on the environment, together with the concomitant burdenon public health and general safety. Recommendations forpossible economically sustainable interventions are given. Suchwill ensure that the environment is protected in a sustainablemanner and that people stay healthy, while urbanization is oncourse.