In South Africa It's now Environmental Apartheid

Herald Review June 1, 2014

IN SOUTH AFRICA IT’S NOW ENVIRONMENTAL APARTHEID


Desmond D’Sa was one of six recipients of the Goldman Environment Prize, the largest award in the world for grassroots environmentalism. He was instrumental in shutting down a toxic waste dump in South Durban


LISA ANN MONTEIRO 

Desmond D’Sa was only 15 in 1971 when his family along with others was forced by South Africa’s apartheid regime to relocate to South Durban alongside polluting industrial plants. They were meant to serve as cheap labour for the upcoming industries in the area.

South Durban is home to almost 70 per cent of Durban’s industry which include oil and gas refineries, paper mills and agrochemical plants. Some 300,000 people, mostly low- income and working- class live here. When D’Sa saw how his community suffered because of the industry’s toxic chemicals, he risked everything to try and make the place livable.

In 1990, a large waste management company, Wasteman, without taking local communities into consideration, opened a landfill to dump hazardous waste from plants nearby. Large trucks, illegally carrying toxic waste from shipyards, factory farms, oil and chemical factories and medical facilities would drive through residential areas contaminating the ground water.

Locals began to bear the brunt of the toxic chemicals and high cases of asthma, bronchitis and cancer were reported.

When D’Sa started working in the chemical industry, he would see government ambulances driving in and out of the area where he lived at all hours of the day and night. In 1996 he co- founded the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance ( SDCEA) fighting for the right to a safe and clean environment and encouraging locals to do the same.

In 2009 when Wasteman’s Bulbul Drive landfill was reaching its maximum capacity, it applied for expansion of the lease on the landfill till 2021.

Local groups approached D’Sa and he began to help and train them to scientifically measure air quality in their areas without sophisticated equipment.

The bucket brigade was one of his initiatives where a 25 litre bucket and small plumbing fittings attached with a Tedlar Bag takes a grab sample.

The process is complete within 10 minutes and then they parcel the air, sample and courier it off to Columbus Laboratory in San Francisco, USA to be analysed. They would get the results within two weeks and identify the odour in the air at the time of the complaint lodged.

Because of the community’s activism and persistence, Wasteman in August 2010 announced that it was withdrawing its application to expand the toxic waste dump. In November 2011, the landfill shut and ceased all operations.

D’Sa considers this to be one of the community’s most notable achievements.

“ We also made a great impact in educating the South Durban communities about the environment and high levels of toxins emitted by the chemical and petro chemical industry.

People are now fully aware of what causes the health problems they experience.

I have witnessed the abuse of casual labour with many even killed at these facilities, with their families left destitute. It is exactly what South African Professor and apartheid activist Fatima Meer said. “ This is worse than slavery, as the slaves knew their master, but here you have to go to many management structures to find the master.” This hasn’t been easy for D’Sa and the SDCEA financially. “ Gathering the data and providing factual evidence was important and getting those affected to join in the campaign was important as the petro chemical giants had the resources and power in collusion with the government to bring us to our knees. It is not easy because there is an assumption that people who are rich and have money are very powerful and tend to take an authoritative role. Not in my opinion. People are people whether they have more or less money and the mere fact that I fight for truth and justice to wrongdoing takes the work I do a long way.

There are financial constraints but there is nothing we cannot overcome once people are united in the cause,” he told Herald Review . He says he will use the prize money of $ 175,000 ( a little over Rs 1 crore) towards the sustainability of the SDCEA. He has had to pay a heavy price for his activism. His home was firebombed in 2007 and his personal property destroyed. His family was traumatized and he was taken to hospital with burns all over his arms and face. He discharged himself immediately from the hospital to show the “ The community had full trust in me. All the work and sacrifice done over a decade would have come to naught and hence my resolve to pick myself up and stand tall against any odds that were out there to take me down.” But that wasn’t the only harassment he faced. He was unemployed for five years. His family members who previously worked in the petro- chemical industry had been blacklisted because of the struggle that he took up. Even though they had the qualifications they paid the price because of their surname. His family suffered. Health wise he says they continue to suffer as they live in the chemical zone. Family members continue to die of cancer and are diagnosed with chronic asthma.

This, he said, would have never been allowed to happen in developed countries.

“ This is what I call environmental racism as most toxic dumpsites are placed in poor communities where the poor and marginalised are left to bear the brunt of toxic chemicals, pollution and other harmful impacts.” D’Sa and his community in South Durban are now fighting the $ 10 billion Durban port expansion project.

Thousands of people face the threat of being displaced without compensation.

“ There has been no consultation and no discussion with the communities who will be most affected. The residents live in fear of what can happen and it leaves them very confused and uneasy. The term ‘ constructive eviction’ is used. This simply means they will not physically force you out like how they did in apartheid rule, but it means they will make it so miserable for you to live with development right at your doorstep. Either way this development is putting fear into people’s lives and allowing for relocation again through a different tactic or strategy. People need community improvement and upgradation not further degradation. Thousands of families live in fear of what lies tomorrow when it comes to this port development and expansion.” He says he does what he does for the betterment of his community, the environment and for future generations.

He calls it his passion and takes a lot of pride, dedication and commitment in what he does. The fight has been tough, but D’Sa has only emerged tougher.Review Bureau