Anglo Platinum's bad human rights record

Remote rural communities have lost their farm land and access to clean water in South Africa as a result of mining by Anglo Platinum, the world’s largest platinum company, which made profits of US$1.75 billion in 2007 alone.

A new ActionAid report estimates thousands of poor people in four villages in the Bushveld mineral complex in Limpopo province have lost farm land and received little compensation in a series of relocation deals with Anglo Platinum.

“We used to live in harmony, we had food and electricity.But the mine came and buried us alive. It’s like someone comes to live in your house and then kicks you out,” says 56-year old Rose Dlabela, just one of thousands of people whose lives have been affected by the world’s largest platinum producer, Anglo Platinum.

Whole communities have lost access to clean water and some villages have seen their water supplies cut off altogether, the report claims.

“There were so many promises," said Isaac Pila, 72, who moved to the new township of Sterkwater to make way for open cast mining on his land.

“None of it was true. There is no grazing land for the animals and my people are no longer ploughing. They promised that we would live like we did in the village, even better. It’s not true. My people are suffering.”

Our main findings are that:

Thousands of poor people in rural areas have lost agricultural land – their main means of livelihood – due to mining activities undertaken by Anglo Platinum.
They are generally offered little compensation and insufficient ways of making an alternative living.
Whole communities have lost access to clean drinking water. Independent water sampling analysis commissioned by ActionAid has discovered serious water pollution at four sites near Anglo Platinum’s mines, including two schools. Mining activities are the most likely cause of this pollution, which has made the water unfit for human consumption.
Villagers have been removed from their homes in relocation agreements signed with associations that the company claims represent the community, but which have actually been established by the company itself.
Many communities are subject to constant intrusive mining activities, especially blasting, which is damaging their homes and environment.
Community protests to improve services offered to villagers or to challenge Anglo Platinum over land take-overs have often been met with brutality by the police and legal action by the company.
Anglo Platinumis continuing to expand itsmining operations in densely populated rural areas, which will result in further imminent displacements.

Demands:

ActionAid is calling on the South African Parliament to reject proposed amendments to the mining act that would substantially weaken environmental and social safeguards.

“Instead, ActionAid asks parliament to revise the law to require prior informed consent by the communities whose land is earmarked for mining and a guarantee of fair compensation,” says Zanele Twala, ActionAid’s country director in South Africa.

“We are asking the South African Human Rights Commission to investigate the issues raised in our report.”

“We need action in South Africa and also at the United Nations, to ensure multinationals like Anglo Platinum are held to account on human rights issues,” said Alex Wijeratna, ActionAid corporate campaigner.