Environmental Justice
Action in Southern Africa
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Environmental Justice
Action in Southern Africa |
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PRESS
RELEASE - 1 August 2001 groundWork
extends its condolences to the families of the victims of yet another industrial
accident. A man was burnt to death and another two injured at the
Sappi Saiccor plant in Umbogintwini, South of Durban, yesterday morning. This follows the
death of 3 workers in an explosion at the Mondi mill last week, the deaths
of workers at the Engen and NATREF refineries in June this year, and a fire at
the Caltex refinery last month. This also comes in the wake of recent
press exposure of the poisoning of hundreds of workers at the Vantech vanadium
mine in Mpumalanga province. Clearly workers
at chemical plants in South Africa are exposed daily to high risks without
their employers investing the necessary finances into safety, health and
operational procedures. Clearly, too, these chemical companies have
complete impunity to pollute and cut corners on occupational safety, at the cost
of the lives and health of workers and communities. At
the very most these industries are required by government to undertake an
investigation into the cause of the incident. These investigations, if
completed, disappear into the bureaucratic labyrinth, never to resurface.
One has to wonder whether the prosecution of the CEO of one of these chemical
industries on charges of culpable homicide, or a massive class action against
one of these companies would cause these companies to invest more in worker
health and safety and environmental standards. History has
taught us one thing, though - that we cannot rely on our government to take up
this matter. The apparently cosy relationship between our government and
big industries ensures this. |