Photographer: Theuns Botha
Coldbrook Barkly East
“This week we marked World Environment Day, yet we are
still faced with the stark reality that acid mine drainage
impacts everyone, from rural communities and farmers to
urban residents," says John Capel, executive director of the
Bench Marks Foundation. "Our rivers and streams
throughout the country are under severe stress as a result of
mining and industrial activities and have been this way for a
very long time. The recent reports that water engineers are
frantically working on the over?owing acid mine drainage in
the Witwatersrand's western basin and other articles on this
subject come as no surprise to us.
Too many loop-holes
“Unfortunately there are too many loop-holes in legislation
governing the mining sector. Mining corporations are not
held accountable for many of the costs that their operations
impose on society. The line between what is their
responsibility and what is not, is still very unclear. Generally
many of these costs are borne by the state and by tax
payers while local communities suffer air quality and water
contamination.”
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Capel says that recent reports of blackmail and of
uncooperative mining houses is something the organisation
has also experienced throughout the years that it has been
doing research. In addition, the involvement of current and
former government of?cials as shareholders, board
members or managers in mining companies is an added
problem and presents a whole set of complications and
tensions of its own.
Some companies are confused
Nationally and indeed globally, there has been pressure on
mining corporations to be more accountable and
transparent about their actions in the communities they
operate. Capel says that regrettably, some companies still
'confuse' corporate social responsibility (CSR) with
philanthropy and/or hand-outs to communities. CSR is
really about responsible business practices, ethical pro?t making and fair distribution of wealth
“All activities of a company should have a positive impact on
all stakeholders especially those most oppressed and
CORPORATE SOCIAL REVIEW