Amakhemikhali angakhinyabeza impilo yomphakathi eMhlanga
I-United Phosphorus South Africa Limited (UPL) ithi izothumela isiphakamiso esibhalwe phansi kuSouth African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) kulandela ubufakazi obuthi inkampani isolwa ngokuhluleka ukuhambisana nemithetho yezemvelo.
Lokhu kulandela ukuthi amakhemikhali ayingozi angcolise umoya nemizila yamanzi ngesikhathi indawo yokugcina impahla ishiswa ngesikhathi sezibhelu zikaNtulikazi. Ikhomishana isizwile ubufakazi bokuthi imiphakathi, izitshalo kanye nemvelo kuthintekile. Ikhomishini iphinde yezwa ukuthi abantu abahlala eduze abakaze baxwayiswe ngobungozi bokuchitheka kwayo okuthiwa kunomthelela empilweni. Umkhulumeli we-UPL uJaphet Ncube uthi lobu bufakazi bungamanga, buyadukisa futhi bunganembile.
“I-UPL ayizange imenywe ngokusobala ukuthi inikeze ubufakazi ngakho ayizange inikezwe ithuba lokuphikisa ubufakazi obuvela kwabanye bababambe iqhaza okubaluleke kakhulu. I-UPL inombono okhethekile wochwepheshe mayelana nokuhambisana kwayo nemithetho efanele futhi sizobe ukuphendula esithangamini esifanele. Sifuna ukuveza ukuthi alikho izinga lokuthotshelwa komthetho ebelingavimba ukuchitheka kodlame olungakaze lube khona kanye nokuwohloka komthetho nokuhleleka endaweni.”
Izinkinga zempilo Ngesonto eledlule, ikhomishini ilalele ubufakazi bomholi womphakathi wasemijondolo yaseBlackburn Village othe amalungu omphakathi asadonsa kanzima ngenxa yokushiswa kwendawo egcina impahla yase-UPL.
UKwanele Msizazwe uthi imiphakathi eseduze ihlaselwe wukungcoliswa komoya ngesikhathi inqwaba yamakhemikhali anobuthi esitolo igqamuka amalangabi. UMsizazwe uthi abakalutholi usizo lwezempilo kuhulumeni noma ku-UPL. Khonamanjalo, uRajen Naidoo weCornubia Fire Civil Society Action Groups uthi i-UPL yehlulekile ukulandela imithetho yesifundazwe neyezemvelo ngesikhathi yakha inqolobane yayo eCornubia ngaseMhlanga.
UMasipala weTheku ukhumbuza umphakathi ukuthi ungaduki uye endaweni eyimfihlo eyikhilomitha nhlangothi zombili zomfula uMhlanga enyakatho yeTheku. Lokhu kulandela ukuchitheka kwamakhemikhali e-United Phosphorus South Africa Limited – UPL – ngoNtulikazi. Indawo yokugcina impahla e-Cornubia yashiswa ngesikhathi sezinxushunxushu ezisabalele, okwadala ukuthi inhlanganisela yamakhemikhali ichitheke emifuleni nasemifuleni eseduze.
Umasipala uthi miningi imizamo eyenziwe ngabasebenzi bokuhlanza abaqokwe yi-UPL ukunciphisa nokunqanda ukusuleleka. Idale umonakalo omkhulu emvelweni emifuleni Ohlange, Umdloti kanye noMhlanga kanye nesizalo soMhlanga. Okhulumela umasipala uMusa Mayisela uthe nakuba kube nempumelelo ethile, kodwa kuzothatha iminyaka ukulungiswa.
“Sikhumbuza umphakathi ukuthi uma usemabhishi asenyakatho yeTheku, kumele uqhelelane nendawo evalekile okuwumfula uMhlanga ongenela ikhilomitha elilodwa enyakatho naseningizimu yomfula uMhlanga. Lokhu asikwenzi ngenhloso yokudicilela phansi umphakathi kodwa kuyimizamo yethu ukuqinisekisa ukuthi umphakathi uphephile futhi singabi nezigameko esizozisola ngazo ngomuso,” kusho uMayisela.