Three weeks ago an Italian cargo ship bearing various toxic chemicals and bunker fuel caught fire and ran aground near a UNESCO World Heritage site threatening to cause long term damage to this sensitive wetland area, beaches and ocean. Such an incident cannot be brushed over and forgotten. It raises very important concerns as well as questions which need answers:

· Who is going to be held accountable? Who is going to hold the shipping company and the chemical companies accountable for the risk and potential damage to the environment?

Why was a waste inventory not immediately available on request, when the ship ran aground? Should the South African Port authorities not have had a record of the inventory before it left Durban Harbour?

· Did the local South African companies, such as Sasol, inspect the Jolly Rubino before allowing it to transport their potentially toxic cargo?

· Was there asbestos being transported as cargo? If so, why was an European Union ship transporting a material that is banned from being used in certain EU countries?

Corporate Accountability refers to the need for multi-national corporations to be held accountable for all the harmful impacts of their operations on our health and the environment. The South African government was instrumental in getting Corporate Accountability into the final text. Now they should take action to make this UN statement a reality, and take the lead in holding the relevant corporations accountable for this crime. Not only has the environment been polluted, but the disaster management personnel and the local community and people as far away as Port Elizabeth have also been put at risk.

For more information please call:

Bobby Peek: 033-342 5662