From 22 March – 2 April 2004, groundWork organized a delegation of five environmental justice activists from the USA who toured South African communities facing similar environmental injustices. The US delegation exchanged their experiences of campaigning and working in communities situated next to polluting industries with their South African counterparts who are facing similar pollution and even the same companies.
The USA activists visited Sasolburg and Boipatong in the Vaal Triangle (22 – 26 March), Richards Bay and South Durban in KwaZulu-Natal Province (26 – 30 March), and Table View, Cape Town in the Western Cape Province (30 – 31 March). groundWork’s community partner organizations co-hosted the US activists when they visited their respective towns.
The aims of the exchange were to facilitate links between communities, in SA and the USA, faced with similar environmental problems and to share skills and knowledge on national and international civil society campaigns. The exchange also allow organisers to collaborate on common campaigns. In southwest Louisiana, Sasol, a key player in the South African oil industry, is reported to own and operate a vinyl and petrochemical manufacturing facility that has plagued the African American community of Mossville with dangerous levels of toxic chemicals, hazardous accidents, fish and groundwater contamination. Sasol is a dominant company in Sasolburg and is a major producer of chemicals and liquid fuels products. Such exchanges are important in holding companies accountable for their actions no matter where they might operate.
For Biographies of the US Delegates on the Air Quality Exchange go here
For Profiles of the Communities visited in South Africa go here
Posted by Ravi at April 27, 2004 12:32 PM