Toxic water, toxic air
Clean air to breathe and safe drinking water are surely the most basic of human needs.
But members of the KwaZuka coal-facing community in Mpumalanga told our Fossil Ad Ban (FAB) campaigners at recent workshops how acid mine drainage is seeping into their drinking water and the areas where their children play.
They live in a region where air pollution from coal-fired power stations is so bad that it could cause the premature deaths of over 79,000 people by the time the coal fleet is decommissioned, environmental groups have warned.
At the workshop, FAB campaigners Lazola Kati and Noxolo Mfocwa helped the community explore ways to take action. This included learning how to speak to the media, and petitioning and engaging with their municipal authorities.
Torn from their ancestral land
FAB held workshops in both KwaZuka and Carolina this year following a workshop in Carolina last year, working with Carolina Eco Green and Womxndla Community Development.
“The KwaZuka community told us how they were torn from their fertile ancestral land to make place for the coal mine and relocated to barren terrain where even grass struggles to grow,” said Nox.
“They spoke of the mine’s promises to provide housing, infrastructure, and electricity − commitments that proved to be mere illusions.”
Lesley Nkosi of Ebuhleni, KwaZuka, highlighted the loss of land, adding: “We are all unemployed, and there are no opportunities. All the mine does is abuse us.”
Nonetheless, the community remains resilient, said Nox. “They are determined to reclaim their narrative by challenging the greenwashing tactics of the mine and to fight for their right to live sustainably on their land, doing more than just march in protest. Together, we discussed the actions they could take. We will also connected them with other organisations for training on these kinds of advocacy, and on the Just Transition.”
Researchers have documented the common practice of displacing communities from the land they inhabit and where their ancestors are buried to make way for coal mines, and the psychological and spiritual trauma this causes.
Coal emits more carbon emissions than any other fossil fuel, and South Africa’s dependence on coal as an energy source makes it the 15th biggest emitter of total greenhouse gases in the world and the worst in Africa.
”The mining companies are not trustworthy,” said workshop participant Letty Nkambule (pictured above), who works with Womxndla, after the workshop. “But I am convinced that if our organisations continue working together, we will make progress in our community.”
