The Bucket Brigade arrived into Sasolburg on Sunday and immediately went on a toxic tour which included the black township of Zamdela. Sasolburg is home to numerous petrochemical industries which includes a plant that employs a dirty and outdated facility that extracts oil from coal. The residents of Sasolburg complain of respiratory illnesses, eye problems and cancer incidents. The industrial park is the primary employer in the area making the residents largely vulnerable when unemployment is at an all time high. This vulnerability has created a cloud of silence on health and pollution. Here we report on our two days in Sasolburg.
 

Stacks from one facility seamlessly seem to blend in with stacks from other facilities, creating a brown haze above the skies of Sasol.  Sasol is home to coal mining operations, petroleum refining, coal power plants and various chemical manufacturing industries.

As we left Sasolburg, we witnessed chemical flaring.  Flaring is supposed to be used in emergency situations only, to release excess pressure from gases.  Still, it is common to see flaring episodes such as the one above at refineries in South Africa.

The delegation went on an official NATREF facility tour during which we were able to gather some preliminary information on their processes and mitigation strategies.

Despite calm winds, flying coal dust, like the sight above are common.  Sasolburg is home not only to a large chemical complex but also to several mining operations.

Is this an oil town or what? OIL is the official registration for Sasolburg!
 
 
 

Denny Larson and Bobby Peek meet with Councillor D.F. Ngubane, Honorable Mayor Maboe and Councillor M.E. Khoathela to discuss the economic potential for having clean industry in the Sasol area.  The mayor was encouraged by the Bucket Brigade demonstration and committed political support to this innovative, community-driven initiative.

The Bucket Brigade met with NATREF officials to talk about refinery operations within the polluted zone of Sasolburg.  The meeting focused on ways in which partnerships can be developed to secure the health of the Sasolburg and Zamdela community, who find themselves adjacent to the largest chemical cluster in the country.

 
 

Denny Larson gets some tips on how to improve the bucket from a young Zamdela local.  Youth we met on the street during the day were concerned about how pollution is affecting their health and decided to come for the training.

Mvuse Maguma, a local community leader, and Bobby take simultaneous samples near the NATREF refinery.  One sample was sent to the United States for analysis while the second one was sent to a lab in Pretoria.  If results come out compatible, communities will be able to use this lab instead of sending samples to America.

Stay tuned for our report on the status of oil refineries in South Africa.

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If you want to contact us on the road, please email us at: hkalan@igc.org