25/09/2024
The asbestos-infested slopes of Pomfret, who is safe?
Pomfret - The story of the relocation of Pomfret community remains a mystery, there are lot of theories and nothing falls in placeor suefice the logic. Government is saying it has relocated people because of the danger of the asbestosis and other related lung diseases, but less than 10 kilometres from Pomfret, there is a village called Setabeng and government is not saying anything about relocating that community. It has been proven that asbestos particles or fibres can travel countless kilometres in the air if disturbed by wind and other nature elements like flooding and human movements, which basically means the immediate community of Setabeng and other communities are also affected as they falls within the said indefinite radius. In the late 1990s, a group of people were removed from Pomfret, mostly 32 battalion members of the former South African Defence Force (SADF), with North West government citing the danger of asbestos particles or fibres that are main causes of lung cancer and other respiratory diseases. Resultant of this move, most civilians have since refused to be moved and returned to the place, with the local people joining this exodus. One of the fundamental reason that encouraged people to return is the failure by government to demolish houses and other habitable structures there, let alone effecting measures to rehabilitate the area, to say the least. Asbestos is a real health risk as touted by the North West government and most industrial experts, the risk remains unmitigated at all. The place is fully occupied by original residents and the new ones from surrounding areas, furthermore, it has been turned into animal encampments by people from surrounding areas, an aspect that inflames the danger, as shepherds carry the asbestos particles back to their families every night when they return back home in villages. These particles are dangerous to the lives of both people and animals alike. Writes Andrew Mokhwae.
According to experts and consultants in asbestosis removal and rehabilitation, Irwin Asbestos Management PTY LTD, asbestos is dangerous to both people and animals.
“Many people have suffered from the consequences of inhaling breakaway asbestos fibres. This is because these substances easily damage respiratory systems in animals and humans,” they confirmed.
Irwin consultancy further confirms that all types asbestos are harmful and dangerous to human life, in the vicinity of Pomfret itself, a grey or charcoal asbestos is the most prevalent one and the white one is found in all the white lime quarries that were dug by Gefcor plc., to create roads to ferry asbestos to places like Vryburg for processing. This type of asbestos is saturated in a village called Mmaheng, where one can see it without even digging. The gravel road that was constructed with this lime was passing through all more than 50 villages, with dust engulfing both human and animals, alike.
“No type of asbestos is not harmful when inhaled. This is so because asbestos is toxic dust that you must avoid as much as possible. From what is known about the substance, illnesses that occur due to inhaling it are cumulative and would affect people because they have been exposed to it regularly. In most cases, asbestosis would only come to light several years after exposure. There is also the risk of other people around you inadvertently becoming exposed to asbestos, which is referred to as second-hand asbestos exposure. It can happen if you go home or to other places where your or others' clothes are covered in asbestos fibres. When these fibres are released into the air, friends and family members around you can inhale them’, they ascertained
With the visibility of asbestos particles trapped in trees and other structures in Pomfret, it leaves a great concern in the hearts of the people resident in the communities around Pomfret. The winds during the month of August each year should be viewed as a concern of the danger of inhalation of these particles or fibres, a danger to humans and animal, alike.
“With the slightest breeze, asbestos can be disturbed and lead to a potential increase in the fibres in the air. When disturbed, these asbestos fibres can stay in the air for about 48 to 72 hours before settling eventually. After asbestos fibres have settled, a slight breeze can disturb them and cause them to go airborne again. For this exact reason, it is essential to call on a professional asbestos removal expert, where it is vital to ascertain the air is free from asbestos fibres, they confirmed.
Inhaled asbestos fibres can become trapped inside the lungs. With the accumulation of these fibres, health problems are bound to emanate soon afterward. Some health problems that can arise from inhaling asbestos include, Lung inflammation, Asbestosis, Lung scarring, Lung cancer and mesothelioma, Cancers of the larynx cancers of the colorectum, stomach, and pharynxand ovaries, to name but few. Gemcor Plc. has left a legacy health tragedy across the western regions of Vryburg where it was operating during the beginning of the 1900 until 1986, this will include Dinake, Heunignvlei and surrounding villages. Other areas are De Aar, Prieska in the Northern Cape Province. Tebogo Seboko was born in Pomfret and lived there for over 23, and he has this to say.
“I was born in that area until the closure of the mine in 1986, given the danger as cited by government, one wonder how safe I am, as I am growing old now, how healthy am I, and the what is the recourse thereof,” enquired Seboko.
Another person who was born and lived in Pomfret is the 59 year old Kgangetsile Mboyisi and he is as concerned as Tebogo Seboko.
“Look, compensation has always only reserved for people who were working underground, if there is any. What about their families and people who worked and lived there, asbestos fibres have always been all over the place, meaning we were inhaling it as children, until adulthood? Why was everyone not included in claiming? Government must do a health audit in all the people who lived in Pomfret, even those in neighbouring villages,” said Mboyisi.
The North West government has committed to conduct health audit to determine the extent of the damage this situation has caused in the lives of people and animals living in Pomfret and surrounding villages.
‘Government will implement plans to relocate the people and their livestock from the property once the issue of the court order has been amicably resolved. Once the current legal hurdles have been removed government will ensure that the land is rehabilitated for potential productive use with the view to avoiding the spread of the asbestos particles to neighbouring communities,’ they said.
‘Government is committed to conducting a health audit to establish the impact that asbestos infection has had on the local environment and communities and implement appropriate measures to address these social challenges,’ they promised.
The prevalent bare asbestos fibres in and around Pomfret remains a greater health concern that has been ignored by all government administrations, be it apartheid or the current government.
In their response to the matter, The North West government had this to say.
‘The process that was initiated by government to relocate all the people from Pomfret experienced serious financial challenges until it was brought to a complete halt by the 2008 court interdict that was launched by a group of Pomfret people. Through this order, the court prohibited government from relocating anyone from Pomfret and further stopped government from damaging, vandalising or demolishing any habitable property in Pomfret,’ they concluded. [email protected]
