Wasting the Nation.indd - Groundwork

Chapter 4: The toxic cradle of productionPlatinum: more precious than peopleDispossessing people of their land while trashing their environments is by no means arelic of the history of colonialism and apartheid. The lives and livelihoods of thousandsof rural people in Limpopo are being trashed right now by the mining activities of theworld’s largest platinum producer, AngloPlatinum, 69 reports Actionaid [2008]. Theyhave lost their land, which is now being physically removed by open cast mining orcovered with mining waste. They have lost access to drinking water, now polluted andunfit for human consumption. They have lost their livelihoods and have not receivedadequate compensation. Their ancestral graves have been removed, injuring theirspiritual connection with the land. And they have been excluded from decisions abouttheir own future, as the mining giant established front organisations – 15 differentSection 21 companies – that signed agreements on their behalf accepting relocation.Their challenges to the AngloPlatinum land grab have been met with police brutalityand corporate legal action.The villagers are traditionally almost completely dependent on farming on communalland. Jobs are scarce and social services are minimal. Their other major source ofincome is from government grants – old age pensions and children’s allowances.Villagers in Ga-Pila, Potgietersrus, accuse the mine of cutting off their water andelectricity to force them to move. Two water reservoirs disappeared under miningwaste. The municipality did not reconnect or re-establish a water supply. Even wherethe land is not covered by waste, villagers are not allowed to plough because it is now‘mining property’.The villagers live – or used to live – on the richest platinum resource in the world.The Bushveld Mineral Complex hosts 88% of the world’s platinum and palladium.Platinum is used in catalytic converters for vehicles to reduce levels of carbon monoxide,hydrocarbons and nitrous oxides emissions to legislated levels. These catalysts,responsible for half the demand for the platinum minerals group, are mainly producedin Britain, Germany and Italy. Platinum is also used in the electrical, electronics andchemicals industries, for glass making and as jewellery. AngloPlatinum, which maderecord profits of US$ 1.75 billion in 2007, spends less than 1% of its profits on localcommunity development but makes extravagant claims about its positive influence.The claims are at odds with what Actionaid found on the ground.69 Anglo Platinum produces 40% of global platinum supply and controls 60% of platinum resources.- 96 - groundWork - Wasting the Nation