Wednesday, 23 May 2007

Vaal Community Unite Against Mittal Steel

On Tuesday, 22 May, [1] residents and ex-residents of Steel Valley, in the Vaal Triangle united to call on Mittal Steel to stop intimidating the last four families that have decided to remain in Steel Valley and challenge Mittal Steel’s pollution.

At the meeting, which was held at a local resident’s home, community people united and responded to the intimidation in the following manner:

· To support Johan de Kock’s constitutional court challenge which is based on Section 24 of the South African Constitution which promises people access to an ‘environment that is not harmful to ones health and well-being’. This support will be delivered via petitions, mass action and working with other communities and governments internationally who have problems with Mittal Steel.

· Expressed support for the four families that are still there in the area, and advised the families to open cases for cattle theft, attempted cattle theft, malicious damage to property – the destruction of Mr Tsoeu (Johannes) Mkwanazi's property – and ‘criminal injuria’.

The meeting also heard about attempts by Mittal Steel officials to remove Mr Strike Matsepe’s cattle from his property and impound them.

It was also noted that the original people that were moved, especially the farm labourers, attained agreement with the assistance of the Legal Resources Centre that they would be housed as a matter of urgency by the local municipality in Sebokeng, Extension 24. The stands were developed and infrastructure put in place but five years later they have not been resettled and they are still renting farms in the surrounding areas and in various townships.

The meeting committed the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance to speak to the Mayor of Emfulweni to speed up the process of resettlement of these people.

The meeting also indicated that discussions will be opened with the Mayor to ensure that the 8 million rand that has been set aside by the municipality to deal with the pollution from Mittal Steel, be placed in a community trust in order that the community could decide on how to best utilise such financial support.

For more information call:

Samson Mokoena - 084 291 8510
Victor Munnik - 082 906 3699

Footnotes:

[1] See http://www.groundwork.org.za/Press%20Releases/22May07.asp