Polution and Poluted

the community of Zone 13 sebokeng at Vaal Gauteng provence South Africa

Polution next to my house

the community of zone 13 Sebokeng area has the problem

Vaal Community assembly:

Working class united against the injustice. the Vaal community assembly is the space where people from different companies and communities are gathering every Wednesday of Zone 11 stadium Vaal. Vaal is at Gauteng Province , Southern side of Johannesburg in South Africa.
About the gathering
The gathering started since 2001 when the community of Vaal Launch the Asinamali campaign.the aim of the campaign was to challenge the Retrenchment,Surplus money owed by the companies, compensation for Pollution inn and out of companies and the service delivery.Asinamali is the the name of the campaign that was launched during Apartheid era about rent boycott at Vaal which ended up spreading all over the country.Asinamali is the Zulu name meaning( we have no money).
the Gathering is called (Vaal community assembly).

The ex-Workers from various companies like Sasol,Samancor, Arcellor Mittal steel,Pilkington etc. They gather at the stadium to discuss the strategies and tactics to fight, lobby and advocate companies and local authorities to pay for the damage they have cause in their lives and service delivery.Though the meeting is not for the workers only after the meeting each company members they have their space to shear the Ideas and report back from their respective companies. companies.
methodology:
Picketing,Media, Marches and negotiations

the Vaal community assembly is the space wher every concern is welcomed and attended to.

Kanana drinking water not safe.

Shocking news from the community of Kanana as they use to the blocked drains every time. This problem started last year 2009 December when the drain became blocked they called the Municipality to unblock it when they left, it became blocked again. According to the residents of Kanana which is situated at the Southern site of Johannesburg in South Africa.

One of the residents was preparing themselves to go to their daily work, when they open their taps early in the morning some dirty from the toilets come out of their taps. They report the matter to the local municipality, as usual they came and check but their was nothing coming out. According to the municipal worker . There must be a misconnection of pipes somewhere or the leakage, but they are not been given the permission to dig the drainage system. They arranged the meeting with the Mayor to discuss the problem as they are now afraid to use their taps. They were told that the Mayor is not available he is busy. The community is furious about the respond from the local authorities saying that it is their duty to ensure that the water is purified before they use it for drinking. According to the residents this has happened twice in the morning in four houses at the area.

one of the residents which I spoke to she said that the water coming from the taps have bad smell especially in the morning,she wow that she will never drink this water until is properly checked, because they are not sure whether is the water taps or the drain that cause the smell..

The community of Kanana after the meeting with them and the advise they got they are is busy arranging the march to raise their concern to Metsi a lekoa which is the water supply company at Vaal.

This is a clear admission of guilty because people trusted that the water from the taps are most clean for domestic use. we should arrange the test kits so that the water should go to the laboratory for checking.

Samancor the death Trap

Third from the left is the chairperson of Samancor retrenched workers Crisis committee Mr Banda

Samancor is the name of the company which is producing steel it is situated at the Midvaal Meyerton Area at Gauteng Province South Africa.This company Samancor it well known for production of Silicomanganese and farromanganese.this chemical are very dangerous for the people to breath. not only causing danger to the workers but also for the people staying nearer to the company.

In the year of 80's, vast majority of workers of Samancor at Meyerton became ill all of them where diagnosed of Tuberculosis according to the company doctors, Then follow by retrenchment. For many years this has been a regular game to this company, until the workers became aware of this filthy game.In 1990 company doctor declared to one of the workers who want remain anonymous that he is diagnosed of manganism, which is the illness caused by the manganese poisoning, this poisoning exist out of poor healthy and safety measures within the company. the symptoms for this illness are memory loss,Over sleeping ,headaches,Joint sore and spinal cord. Samancor took the sick workers to several doctors who find the same diagnosis, but the company refuses the result as they were not in favour of the company.

According to the information from the Mr Banda who is the Chairperson of the organisation called Samancor retrenched worker crisis committee, which is the organization formed in the year 2000 to represent all the retrenched workers from Samancor he said: ‘Samancor has been changing doctors time and time because their result doesn’t favor them. Even today they are forcing us to be checked by their doctor we are refusing we want our own private doctors to do the testing, Even the inspectors from the department of labour advised us to get our own private doctors to do manganese test. National Union of mine workers union of South Africa(NUMSA). as we were represented by them when we were employed they are arranging doctors who will do the examinations,we are expecting 90 ex- workers to be examined, then the matter will be referred to Compensation commission of South Africa to decide on compensation but currently there is an on going negotiation between us and the Doctors.I also need to put it clear that not only ex-worker but even residents who are living next to the company are also affected by the manganese, few of them will also go for testing'

It is clear that the company has damaged and destroyed lives of many people and workers.it is time for workers , ex-worker and the communities to unite to fight for environmental justice.

Arcellor Mittal the Giant Exploitor

Arcellor Mittal the Giant exploiter and the polluter. On my way back home from the retrenched workers meeting I use to attend every wednesday at Vaal Zone 11 stadium, I find the old man standing at the side of the road, he looked very tired and exhausted. I had to to go and check what was the problem.He look up at me and say it is bad very bad.I persuaded him to tell me what was the problem.As he was struggling to sit down on the rock he lean on next to the road,he started telling the story.
"I was a strong man like you before the company destroy me", that was the first thing he said to me.He continue with the story:
"My name is Mothinya Simon from Zone 13 Sebokeng. I worked at the Iscor before it became Mittall steel since 14 May 1958,as the machinery operator. I did a very good job for the company until I felled dizzy and my chest blocked while at work in 1993 , then I felled down. They took me to the Company Doctor for examination ,the Doctor prescribe that I should stop working at the company with immediate effect because my heart will fail any-time.I had to find for myself what was the cause of my illness the doctor said I have bronchitis, tuberculosis and asthma. I attended the treatment until I was retrenched at work. When i was retrenched they took away their medical aid card and gave me the retrenchment package of R28,000 which all spended on my medical treatment.
Mr Mothinya has 6 children, he live with old age grant.
His demand from the company is that they should compensate him for the damage they have caused to him. I asked him why he deserve the compensation: he said: Arcellor Mittal have messed up his life, he use to produced millions of rand for the company but they have failed to give him even a quarter of one million"

I spoke with other ex-workers of Arcellor Mittal and they shared the very same story with Mr Mothinya.

It is shocking to hear the story from the ordinary people on the street talking about the way Arcellor Mittal steel has destroyed his life.This is a clear evident that not only Apartheid was cruel but the Industries like Arcellor Mittal has fuelled the exploitation of the poor people of South Africa. Mittal steel mast Pay for the lives they have destroyed.the workers and ex-workers must unite and take Mittal steel to court.