Comments for Centre for Environmental Rights http://cer.org.za Advancing Environmental Rights in South Africa Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:06:13 +0000 hourly 1 Comment on “I hate this in my life”: A short film on how coal mining in Mpumalanga is affecting local communities by Michelle Meyer http://cer.org.za/news/i-hate-this-in-my-life-a-short-film-on-how-coal-mining-in-mpumalanga-is-affecting-local-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-535 Michelle Meyer Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:06:13 +0000 http://cer.org.za/?p=3898#comment-535 I hope to see the miners come back and rehiblitate the area. If they do not, they should be heavily fined. It's not just the farmers that are affected by these issues - it affects all South Africans. The miners in the video truly need to make sure that they follow procedures correctly and offer the communities the peace of mind by putting in place rehibilitation programs before the mining even begins. Aren't these issues taken seriously by the miners? I am sick and tired of getting ill due to the state of the water in South Africa. I hope to see the miners come back and rehiblitate the area. If they do not, they should be heavily fined. It’s not just the farmers that are affected by these issues – it affects all South Africans.

The miners in the video truly need to make sure that they follow procedures correctly and offer the communities the peace of mind by putting in place rehibilitation programs before the mining even begins. Aren’t these issues taken seriously by the miners?

I am sick and tired of getting ill due to the state of the water in South Africa.

]]> Comment on Media Release: Statement by Mining-Environment-Communities Alliance for the Mining Indaba by LB http://cer.org.za/news/media-release-statement-by-mining-environment-communities-alliance-for-the-mining-indaba/comment-page-1/#comment-531 LB Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:50:06 +0000 http://cer.org.za/?p=3890#comment-531 This kind of alliance is long overdue and I think it has been able to come about because of new legal platforms that groups such as CER provide. Extractive industries need to be held accountable in a constructive, practical manner that does not oppose business and job creation but asks that business is conducted with respect and sensitivity to communities and the environment, and where there is strong recourse should mines overstep the mark. Protection by the government in the form of unequal treatment could be seen as omission, even if the agenda is to protect jobs. Going forward, this alliance would do well to try and establish a relationship with the various mining concerns where they can voice their agenda in a language that is firm but does not antagonise the mining industry into immediate denial. The alliance will need to insist on face-to-face engagements that include authentic enquiry, where a level of trust can start to build. This kind of alliance is long overdue and I think it has been able to come about because of new legal platforms that groups such as CER provide. Extractive industries need to be held accountable in a constructive, practical manner that does not oppose business and job creation but asks that business is conducted with respect and sensitivity to communities and the environment, and where there is strong recourse should mines overstep the mark. Protection by the government in the form of unequal treatment could be seen as omission, even if the agenda is to protect jobs. Going forward, this alliance would do well to try and establish a relationship with the various mining concerns where they can voice their agenda in a language that is firm but does not antagonise the mining industry into immediate denial. The alliance will need to insist on face-to-face engagements that include authentic enquiry, where a level of trust can start to build.

]]> Comment on Media Invitation: Film Screening and Panel Discussion on Experiences of Communities Affected by Environmental Impacts of Mining by mfourie http://cer.org.za/news/media-invitation-film-screening-and-panel-discussion-on-experiences-of-communities-affected-by-environmental-impacts-of-mining/comment-page-1/#comment-529 mfourie Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:52:02 +0000 http://cer.org.za/?p=3862#comment-529 Hi Tony, these short films will be available online next week - we'll put the links up on this site. If you think that screening them elsewhere would be useful, we can make a plan to get copies to you. Hi Tony, these short films will be available online next week – we’ll put the links up on this site. If you think that screening them elsewhere would be useful, we can make a plan to get copies to you.

]]> Comment on Media Invitation: Film Screening and Panel Discussion on Experiences of Communities Affected by Environmental Impacts of Mining by Tony Ferrar, Barbert http://cer.org.za/news/media-invitation-film-screening-and-panel-discussion-on-experiences-of-communities-affected-by-environmental-impacts-of-mining/comment-page-1/#comment-527 Tony Ferrar, Barbert Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:29:16 +0000 http://cer.org.za/?p=3862#comment-527 Well done with this initiative. A next step could be to show / publicise these cases in the areas where they occurred so inputs from a wider impacted community can be added. and the conditions under which the "survivors" of this social neglect can be recorded. Well done with this initiative. A next step could be to show / publicise these cases in the areas where they occurred so inputs from a wider impacted community can be added. and the conditions under which the “survivors” of this social neglect can be recorded.

]]> Comment on Submissions on the South African Weather Service Amendment Bill, 2011 by Gavin Lawson http://cer.org.za/news/submissions-on-the-south-african-weather-service-amendment-bill-2011/comment-page-1/#comment-514 Gavin Lawson Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:49:53 +0000 http://cer.org.za/?p=3713#comment-514 Well done to the team!! Keep up the excellent work you are doing. Well done to the team!! Keep up the excellent work you are doing.

]]> Comment on List of Threatened Ecosystems finally gazetted by mfourie http://cer.org.za/news/list-of-threatened-and-endangered-ecosystems-finally-gazetted/comment-page-1/#comment-510 mfourie Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:32:14 +0000 http://cer.org.za/?p=3659#comment-510 Dear Kate, DEA has advised us that the information will also be available on SANBI's BGIS website (http://bgis.sanbi.org) soon, presumably in georeferenced maps! You can send them a mail at bgishelp@sanbi.org. Regards, CER Dear Kate, DEA has advised us that the information will also be available on SANBI’s BGIS website (http://bgis.sanbi.org) soon, presumably in georeferenced maps! You can send them a mail at bgishelp@sanbi.org. Regards, CER

]]> Comment on List of Threatened Ecosystems finally gazetted by Kate Nelson http://cer.org.za/news/list-of-threatened-and-endangered-ecosystems-finally-gazetted/comment-page-1/#comment-493 Kate Nelson Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:34:01 +0000 http://cer.org.za/?p=3659#comment-493 Is there any way the list of sites could be published here to save us all trawling through the gazette? It would help a good deal. Thanks so much. Is there any way the list of sites could be published here to save us all trawling through the gazette? It would help a good deal. Thanks so much.

]]> Comment on Season’s Greetings from the Centre for Environmental Rights by Tony Ferrar, Barbert http://cer.org.za/news/seasons-greetings-from-the-centre-for-environmental-rights-2/comment-page-1/#comment-480 Tony Ferrar, Barbert Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:52:07 +0000 http://cer.org.za/?p=3648#comment-480 Congratulations on a great first year and prospects for more. I look forward to your legal opinions and discussion papers as benchmarks towards a more accountable and sustainable future. If only we as a species could find a way to slow our reproductive imperative sufficiently to give sustainability a chance. Congratulations on a great first year and prospects for more. I look forward to your legal opinions and discussion papers as benchmarks towards a more accountable and sustainable future. If only we as a species could find a way to slow our reproductive imperative sufficiently to give sustainability a chance.

]]> Comment on Season’s Greetings from the Centre for Environmental Rights by Jane Rosenthal http://cer.org.za/news/seasons-greetings-from-the-centre-for-environmental-rights-2/comment-page-1/#comment-479 Jane Rosenthal Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:06:06 +0000 http://cer.org.za/?p=3648#comment-479 This is so impressive. Congratulations and keep going. It is hugely cheering to see issues taken up so thoroughly. This is so impressive. Congratulations and keep going. It is hugely cheering to see issues taken up so thoroughly.

]]> Comment on List of Threatened Ecosystems finally gazetted by Dr. Pieter van Eeden http://cer.org.za/news/list-of-threatened-and-endangered-ecosystems-finally-gazetted/comment-page-1/#comment-478 Dr. Pieter van Eeden Wed, 14 Dec 2011 07:49:09 +0000 http://cer.org.za/?p=3659#comment-478 I've downloaded this pdf and had a quick scan through here and there. Already I see problems. Point 3.2.3. states that listed ecosystems SHOULD be incorporated into EMF's. There is no mention of has to or must at all. Knowing the municipality where I stay very well (Ekurhuleni) should in fact means dont bother. Must means that somebody's got to work out what work must be done and put a budget to it, then somebody else has to explain at a council meeting why these pieces of extensive grassland must be protected when there is such a crucial shortage of land space for housing all the immigrants, then this item will be left to stand over till a next council meeting (maybe the original proposer would be sick next time) and so forth and so on. And from experience I do know that most EAP's as well as municipal and provincial officials just ignore EMF's and Conservation Plans and Environmental Policies. Has these tools helped to protect threatened ecosystems in the past? No, definitely not. So is this official list of listed ecosystems going to provide the necessary protection? I doubt it - but lets see if I'm wrong. I’ve downloaded this pdf and had a quick scan through here and there. Already I see problems. Point 3.2.3. states that listed ecosystems SHOULD be incorporated into EMF’s. There is no mention of has to or must at all. Knowing the municipality where I stay very well (Ekurhuleni) should in fact means dont bother. Must means that somebody’s got to work out what work must be done and put a budget to it, then somebody else has to explain at a council meeting why these pieces of extensive grassland must be protected when there is such a crucial shortage of land space for housing all the immigrants, then this item will be left to stand over till a next council meeting (maybe the original proposer would be sick next time) and so forth and so on. And from experience I do know that most EAP’s as well as municipal and provincial officials just ignore EMF’s and Conservation Plans and Environmental Policies. Has these tools helped to protect threatened ecosystems in the past? No, definitely not. So is this official list of listed ecosystems going to provide the necessary protection? I doubt it – but lets see if I’m wrong.

]]>