PRESS RELEASE
28 March 2004
USA activists continue tour of pollution hotspots
As both the USA and South Africa are approaching general elections in 2004,
many of the failures of both governments are being highlighted. Communities
in both countries are still fighting for clean air and improved enforcement
and monitoring of polluting industries.
Five environmental justice activists from the USA, hosted by groundWork,
continue their tour of the pollution hotspots in South Africa. On 27 March
2004, the group visited community organisations in Merebank, Umlazi and
south Durban in Kwazulu-Natal. The South Durban Community Environmental
Alliance organised a ‘toxic tour’ of the industries in Durban.
Durban is ‘home’ to two of the largest oil refineries in Southern Africa.
South Durban has the largest concentration of petrochemical industries in
the country and it refines approximately 60% of South Africa’s petroleum.
There are five major industrial belts located in the South Durban Basin
(SDB): the valley industrial belt; the Jacobs industrial belt; the Navy/Mobeni
industrial belt; the Island View industrial belt and the Prospecton industrial
belt.
The valley industrial belt, nicknamed “cancer valley” (after Cancer Alley
in California) is occupied by the Engen and Sapref refineries, a Mondi paper
mill, an international airport, a sewage treatment plant, a busy south coast
freeway, a polluted Umlaas canal, landfill sites and various mills, processing
and manufacturing industries.
Hilton Kelley, one of the USA activists, lives and works in Port Arthur
that is home to an oil refinery partly owned by Shell Oil Company. Mr Kelley
said that the extent of pollution in south Durban is evidence of the importance
of having a strong regulatory agency. He was astonished that industries
are not being monitored closer given the heavy toxicity in the air. He also
mentioned that this exchange has made him realise that he has to remain
vigilant against Shell and also that the coalition against Shell that connects
communities across the globe is definitely on the right path.
The group will travel to Richards Bay on 28 March 2004 and their final
stop will be in Cape Town on 30 March 2004.
For more information please contact Ardiel Soeker at 082-940-8669
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