Recent Updates and Activities of the FSE

No mine dump far enough, no corporate big enough

Sunday, 04 December 2011 05:56 SHEREE BEGA

Feisty northern suburbs granny takes up the cudgels for poor mining communities. She is also the recipient of the Eco-Warrior award at the inaugural Eco-Logic awards.

Acid sludge poses a serious risk to Gauteng

Sunday, 27 November 2011 05:36 administrator

Thousands of people face evacuation from Gauteng due to toxic sludge from abandoned gold mines laced with high radiation levels.

Emergency plans are being drawn up to stop toxic water flowing into Johannesburg.

Acid Mine water, the result of groundwater flowing through underground shafts, is decanting from an old Rand Uranium mine near Krugersdorp and rising by half a metre a day beneath Johannesburg.

Government has yet to approve a plan to tackle the crisis, nearly a year after its own task team urged emergency intervention.

The delay has provoked criticism from civil society and private industry, who say government rejected a viable mine water treatment plan two years ago.

Mitigation measures at Uranium Mines

Wednesday, 28 September 2011 06:23 administrator

Uranium mining operations have high impacts on environment and society, and can lead to deterioration of health of workers and communities. Uranium mining activities are increasing in Africa, where mining is not always strictly regulated and controlled. Mitigation of negative impacts from uranium mines by national governments and international mining companies can have a positive effect on society and environment.
An assessment of the mitigation measures is addressed in the report "Uranium from Africa" by World Information Service on Energy (WISE) and Stichting Onderzoek Multinationale Ondernemingen (SOMO)
Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations.

The report assesses what mitigation measures governments and industry are taking in Namibia, South Africa, and the Central African Republic. Practices are compared with Canada and Australia, where regulation is more strict.

"It is surprising that South Africa has no specialised institutions which have adequate knowledge on the impacts of (uranium) mining operations and can monitor, educate, and advise on all mining-related health and environmental issues".

EXTRACTS from the report are contained in this article. The FULL REPORT is available to download.

FVO reageer op berigte oor megaslikdam

Monday, 03 October 2011 08:02 RAPPORT SAKE 24

Verlede week se berigte in Sake 24 oor die bedreiging wat boere en omgewingsgroepe vir Mine Waste Solutions se beydrywighede in die Stilfontein-gebied inhou, het die volgende reaksie van die Federasie vir ‘n Volhoubare Omgewing ontlok:

Die artikels van Sake 24 (gepubliseer in Rapport, Beeld en Miningmx), het ernsitge twyfel gewerp op die karakter en motiewe van me Mariette Liefferink, uitvoerende hoof van die Federasie vir ‘n Volhoubare Omgewing (FVO), en die FVO.

Die aanname word gemaak dat die FVO saam met vier grondeienaars werk om hulle te help om hoe pryse vir hul grond te bekom deur die lewe vir Mine Waste Solutions (MWS) “ondraaglik” te maak. Dit is na ons mening ‘n verdraaiing van die feite en ‘n wanvoorstelling van die waarheid.

Ons is nooit die kans gegun om op die artikels te reageer voor publikasie nie. Ons is van besliste mening dat die FVO ernstig te nagekom is in die artikels en dat Liefferink se reputasie deur wanvoorstellinge geskaad is.

Reporter bullies FSE

Tuesday, 27 September 2011 06:34 administrator

A report by Jan de Lange has made serious claims about the Federation for a Sustainable Environment (FSE), its CEO and the activities in which it engages.
Liefferink claims Mr de Lange "used bullying tactics, accusations and threats" while interviewing her.

The reporter asserts that four landowners, assisted by FSE CEO, Mariette Liefferink, are attempting to disrupt operations at Mine Waste Solutions (MWS), a First Uranium Corporation subsidiary. The disruption is said to be through “trivial complaints and public pressure, so that First Uranium will eventually buy their land and end the unpleasantness”.
De Lange further alleges that Liefferink uses her position on the board of the National Nuclear Regulator to “launch an unrelenting attack on the mega tailings dam”.