Media Release: Civil society organisations appeal to Parliament to intervene in acid mine drainage
9 February 2011 at 1:38 pm
9 February 2011
Earlier today, a large group of civil society organisations wrote to the Chair of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs, Advocate Johnny de Lange, requesting assistance in getting the report of the Team of Experts (ToE) appointed by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Acid Mine Drainage released to the public.
The group of NGOs submitted both a formal request for release of the ToE report to the IMC, as well as an application in terms of the Promotion of Access ot Information Act, 2000, on 25 January 2011. No substantive response has been received from the IMC, nor has the report been released.
In th letter, the group argues that it is essential for the findings and recommendations of the TOE report to be in the public domain to enable South African citizens to assess the scope and urgency of the problem and the feasibility and adequacy of recommended solutions. The failure to publish the TOE report increases public suspicion and anxiety and undermines public faith in the State’s ability and willingness to address this problem effectively. The IMC’s failure to release the TOE report conflicts with the principles of transparency, access to information and democracy entrenched in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. The IMC has excluded participation by those who are most affected by its decisions.
Millions of litres of heavily polluted acid mine drainage continue to be decanted into streams connected to both the Vaal and Crocodile River systems and groundwater systems on a daily basis, with devastating consequences for communities and the environment. Further decants may be imminent. Despite this, no tangible measures have been implemented by government or the mining industry to deal with the ongoing discharge, and to implement longer-term measures to address the problem. At the very least, civil society is entitled to know what the TOE found and recommended to the IMC.
A copy of the letter can be downloaded here.
Signed:
Anti Privatisation Forum
Biowatch South Africa
Centre for Environmental Rights
Coalition Against Nuclear Energy (CANE)
Earthlife Africa Cape Town
Earthlife Africa Johannesburg
EcoMonitor
ECOPEACE Party
Endangered Wildlife Trust
Environmental Monitoring Group
Federation for a Sustainable Environment
Foundation for Human Rights
Gauteng Wetlands in Crisis Committee
Gauteng Wetlands Forum
Greenpeace Africa
groundWork
Institute for Zero Waste in Africa (IZWA)
International Association for Impact Assessment (South Africa) (IAIA)
Johannesburg Advocacy Group
Johannesburg Anglican Environmental Initiative
Jukskei Area Catchment Management Forum
Masizakhe Youth Development Club
National Association of Conservancies and Stewardships South Africa
National Taxpayers Union (NBU)
National Wetlands Professional Practitioners Forum
Noordhoek Environment Action Group
Pelindaba Working Group
Public Environmental Arbiters
Renewable Energy Centre
Rhenosterspruit Nature Conservancy
SA Hunters and Game Conservation Association
Save the Vaal (SAVE)
Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa (SERI)
South Durban Community Environmental Alliance
Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Initiative (SAFCEI)
Sustainability Action Movement
TAU – SA
The Greenhouse Project
The National Water Forum
United Association of South Africa
Umphilo waManzi
Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA)
Zwartkops Conservancy
Contacts:
Centre for Environmental Rights – Dina Townsend [email protected] 083 444 8607
Federation for a Sustainable Environment – Mariette Liefferink [email protected] 073 231 4893
Earthlife Africa Johannesburg – Judith Taylor [email protected] 082 389 3481