The following report was released by the SA Human Rights Commission on 29 October 2007 as an interim assessment of the issues arising from a complaint alleging gross violation of human rights by proponents of the Xolobeni Mineral Sands Venture. [Read more…]
Posted on April 24th, 2008 by Louis
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“Under no circumstances whatsoever can an economic process, or interest, be above the reverence of life.”
Manfred A Max-Neef.
This assertion by Chilean ‘barefoot economist’ Manfred Max-Neef was offered as the conclusion to his address to a packed audience at the Gordon Institute of Business Science two years ago, as an overriding principle for what he terms a “trans-disciplinary economics of sustainability”. [Read more…]
Posted on April 14th, 2008 by Louis
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A tribute to Tony Abbott
Posted on February 1st, 2008 by Louis
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André Standing, Senior Researcher, Corruption and Governance Programme, ISS Cape Town : 17 May 2007
Institute for Security Studies - researching human security in Africa.
Unless environmental protests are successful, the Australian mining company Mineral Resource Commodities (MRC) will mine significant areas of South Africa’s Wild Coast for titanium sands. The Wild Coast is an area of spectacular beauty and ecological importance; some believe it could be South Africa’s next World Heritage Site. Richard Spoor, a South African human rights lawyer, argues that “mining Pondoland Wild Coast is the moral, cultural and aesthetic equivalent of quarrying Ayers Rock for granite, or the Great Barrier Reef for calcium carbonate”. [Read more…]
Posted on August 23rd, 2007 by admin
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by Erika Schutze
Residents in the Xolobeni district in Pondoland find themselves the victims of the manipulative tactics of an Australian mining company on the hunt for titanium deposits, the tunnel vision of the Department of Minerals and Energy, as well as a couple of scheming ANC bigwigs (ex of the Department of Trade and Industry) intent on becoming the BEE beneficiaries of the proposed mining deal — without ever having consulted those to whom the land belongs.
Moreover, the BEE deal that has been set up effectively lands the local tribal shareholders in massive debt for the 26 percentage of shares that they do get: they may only earn dividends after their shares have been paid off, projected to take at least three years if revenues match expectation. [Read more…]
Posted on August 5th, 2007 by admin
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by Val Payn
The Pondoland Centre of Endemism, though extremely small in geographic terms, is extremely wealthy in environmental terms. It extends from the Mtumvuna River at Port Edward, to the Kei River. Much of its environmental wealth is also highly ‘site specific’ i.e. the particular set of geographic circumstances of the region has resulted in high numbers of endemic species, generally contained in very small populations, making it ecology extremely sensitive to disruption. Although no extensive and comprehensive study has ever been done on the natural assets of the PCE, an area of 1880 square kilometers, a recent study of the flora of 4 sites in the area, namely Mkambati, Oribi Gorge, Umtamvuna Nature Reserve and Port St Johns revealed 2 253 species of which 196 where endemic. Of the endemics only 16 occur in all four of the above mentioned sites, indicating that each of the investigate sites contains its own specific endemics. The region has been very poorly scientifically surveyed, and new plant species continue to be discovered.
Typical landscape of riverine/ estuarine forest and grassland
For purposes of comparison, the Kruger National Park only contains 1 400 species as does the whole of the United Kingdom. [Read more…]
Posted on July 13th, 2007 by admin
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By Dr Nick King
Download or read the full PDF document here.
What happens when a group of people believe that the poor are being manipulated for the personal gain of a few; believe that South Africa’s ‘growth’ orientated development path has the potential to do more harm than good for people who depend heavily upon the natural environment in which they live; believe that there is a development path that will bring better livelihoods to a greater majority… (Val Payn)
Posted on June 30th, 2007 by admin
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