Precious Metal: The impact of Anglo Platinum in South Africa
Posted by markcurtis on December 22, 2008
This new report, written for the international NGO, ActionAid, analyses the impact on local communities in South Africa of the world’s largest platinum producer, Anglo Platinum – a company majority-owned by the British mining giant, Anglo American.
Its main findings are that:
Thousands of poor people in rural areas have lost agricultural land – their main means of survival – due to mining activities undertaken by Anglo Platinum. They are generally offered little compensation and insufficient ways of making an alternative living. The result is not just increased hunger and poverty, but also the destruction of a traditional way of life.
Whole communities have lost access to clean drinking water. Independent water sampling analysis commissioned by ActionAid has discovered serious water pollution at four sites near Anglo Platinum’s mines, including two schools. Mining activities are the most likely cause of this pollution, which has made the water unfit for human consumption.
Villagers have been removed from their homes in “relocation agreements” signed with associations that the company claims represent the community, but which have actually been established by the company itself.
Many communities are subject to constant intrusive mining activities, especially blasting, which is damaging their homes and environment.
Community protests to improve services offered to villagers or to challenge Anglo Platinum over land take-overs have often been met with brutality by the police and legal action by the company.
Anglo Platinum is continuing to expand its mining operations in densely populated rural areas, which will result in further imminent displacements.
Meanwhile, Anglo Platinum is making record earnings, amounting to $1.75 billion profit in 2007 alone. While the company claims to be socially responsible, it is spending less than 1 per cent of its profits on local community development. The company also makes many claims in its public material about the positive local results it achieves, which the report finds to be seriously at odds with the reality on the ground.
The report’s findings suggest that some of these impacts may be in violation of human rights guaranteed by the South African constitution.
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