On the 26th March 2017, citizens from the mountainous municipality of Cajamarca, Colombia, voted, with a 98% majority, to ban South African miner AngloGold Ashanti’s vast La Colosa gold mining project, in a ‘popular consultation’ led by grassroots youth activists and small-scale farmers. One year on, and Cajamarca’s victory has helped inspire a much wider movement of … [Read more...]
Xolobeni community fights for a voice in mining decisions
From Monday 23 April until Wednesday 25 April, the Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC) will be meeting the department of mineral resources (DMR) and Australian mining conglomerate Transworld Energy and Minerals (TEM) in the Pretoria High Court regarding the Xolobeni farming community. The ACC, along with the Legal Resources Centre (LRC), will be arguing that in terms of the existing … [Read more...]
Water expert talks drought lessons at Mensa
In South Africa 98% of all potential raw water sources are already allocated for use. Increasing urbanisation and demand for safe sanitation place heavy demands on our water resources. The Department of Water & Sanitation estimates that R7-billion in potable water is lost annually. That amounts to 36% of the clean drinking water supply! Dr Jo Barnes, epidemiologist and … [Read more...]
Mega coal plants versus people of South Africa: The battle for clean water
South Africa is currently facing up to the reality of a mega water crisis over three provinces. The water crisis has been declared a national disaster, which means that the national government recognises that the impacts of the water crisis go well beyond just the three provinces that have been named. An additional R6bn has been set aside in the budget for responses to the … [Read more...]
UK government’s hypocrisy over ‘nerve agent’ spy poisoning
Anyone seeing the sight of the specialists investigating the nerve agent attack in Salisbury totally cocooned from head to toe in the most advanced chemical protective equipment and gas mask style respirators, will have raised an eyebrow or two. Not only because of the spaceman style appearance, but most strikingly because of the sight of innocent members of the public, with no … [Read more...]
Triple stacked GM maize destined for SA food
South Africa’s staple food, maize, could soon be loaded with new combinations of foreign genes, and sprayed with new cocktails of agrochemicals. Agribusiness giant, Dow, is applying to South African authorities for the right to sell yet another GM maize variety for cultivation and ultimately consumption. The variety in question is designated as MON 89034 x TC1507 x NK603. It … [Read more...]
Four countries suspend SA meat imports after listeriosis outbreak
Four countries in southern Africa on Monday took steps against South African chilled meat imports made at a factory found to be the origin of the world's worst-ever listeria outbreak. Mozambique and Namibia announced they were immediately suspending imports of the products. Botswana said it was recalling the items "with immediate effect", while Zambia called on South African … [Read more...]
Converting race waste into Green Desks
The #GOGREEN campaign – a waste management and anti-littering movement (a partnership between Old Mutual and WILDLANDS, supported by Polyco) was launched at the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon (OMTOM) in 2017. Similarly, the Comrades Marathon Association were inspired by the success of this campaign in Cape Town and implemented #GOGREEN along 27km of the 87km Comrades route in … [Read more...]
Leading pesticide destroys healthy microbes in humans and soil
We're only beginning to learn the importance of healthy gut bacteria to our overall health—and the relationship between healthy soil and the human microbiome. We know that the human microbiome, often referred to as our "second brain," plays a key role in our health, from helping us digest the food we eat, to boosting our brain function and regulating our immune … [Read more...]
Disabled Gansbaai residents receive PVC beach wheelchairs
As part of their commitment to the environment and community the Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA) recently donated an imported beach wheelchair, made from PVC pipes, to Cross Home Care based in the Gansbaai area, Western Cape. According to Delanie Bezuidenhout, CEO of SAVA, the wheelchair was imported from the USA and is the first of its kind in South Africa. It is … [Read more...]
The battle for the Philippi Horticultural Area rages on
Prolonged drought hits farmers hard. But in Philippi in Cape Town lies an oasis of land with abundant access to groundwater. South Africa’s most productive horticultural area per hectare, it has nonetheless shrunk considerably – over the same period that South Africa in general, and the Western Cape in particular, have become progressively drier and less food secure. After … [Read more...]
Mine dumps are making us sick, say Joburg residents
Tens of thousands of poor South Africans living in the shadow of vast mine dumps around Johannesburg are being exposed to toxic substances such as arsenic, lead and uranium. More than 200 mounds of earth contaminated with heavy metals, notably uranium, lie within sight of the city, says the Harvard International Human Rights Clinic. They include the one close to where … [Read more...]
Storm Eleanor batters Europe, bringing chaos and destruction
Winter storm Eleanor swept across Europe on Wednesday, bringing death, damage and disruption, snarling transport networks and cutting power to tens of thousands of people. Two people died on Spain's northern Basque coast, the couple swept away by a huge wave, officials said, and another person had to be rescued after attempting to save them. In France, a 21-year-old skier … [Read more...]
