South Africa's Toxic Towns | Johannesburg: The Uranium Capital of the World (Documentary)
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- čas přidán 11. 06. 2024
- Johannesburg is considered the most uranium-contaminated city in the world. Waste dumps from around 600 abandoned mines sit next to residential communities, blowing polluted dust into homes and contaminating the soil and water supplies. To get a sense of the sheer extent of the problem, Martin Boudot and his team of researchers investigated. Equipped with a Geiger counter, they uncover some dangerous realities…
This documentary was first released in 2018.
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“Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.”
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾Haaai!! Danki BADDE
Yup kid you nailed it. We cannot have anymore good foods if we eat all of the money!
Lamb of God
This comment deserves eye contact, a head nod and a "well said".
Indeed. The “Lorax”!!! Fable of mankind’s pervasiveness as a human.
Lived in Johannesburg all my life and didn’t have any idea about the radioactivity. Thanks for this.
Don't bring your radioactive self to Cape Town please. Move in next to Gwede Mantashe and make sure you rub up against him.
The 5G towers they put everywhere is our new enemy now
Same
A massive propaganda industry prevented you. It is a serious violation.
im from soweto and i have no idea what this video is talking about
I live in Boksburg, South Africa which also has mines. The people here also have health issues. Thank you for your service and caring enough to bring this to light!
Boksburg folk over eat and drink alcohol heavily too. Can't be blaming it all on a bit of dust. This youtube is true to some extent but over egged.
I lived in Johannesburg all my life. I can tell you the tailings weren't made next to the informal settlements, low cost housing and the informal settlements were (illegally) built towards the tailings, often by illegal miners.
I wanted to ask these guys who did the research... because no one asked the 'residents ' when they moved there... I am sure they are not supposed to live there. Now they make everyone else look bad... don't know if I should laugh, cry or get angry.... I'm having all these emotions at the the same time. Mind blown
Yeah yeah, the people who move in next to these mine dumps are a special kind of stupid BUT the dust from these mine dumps blows all over Gauteng and beyond, you can live 300km away and still spend your entire life breathing this stuff in. It's really stupid and build houses next to mine dumps or but equally stupid to think that these mine dumps aren't a problem that effects the entire region.
Honestly, this documentary is biased. Yes, those areas were always demarcated as no-go areas. In the new democratic SA, the government has taken a laissez-faire approach to enforcing the rules and regulations governing many things including invasion and settlement of these no-go areas. We knew before that Uranium was in Au ore all along and it has not changed. Many mining companies that operated the mines no longer exist. Yet they contributed to government coffers in the form of direct taxes, employing people who paid tax, and in the form of VAT. So Government received taxes from the mines for over 140 years. Everyone knows that companies do not last forever so taxes contributed over the years are the funds that are supposed to be used to sort matters like this out. In addition to this, the laissez-faire approach has taken away the well-established processes that prevent downstream problems linked to old assets. An example is their allowing new owners of the mines to stop pumping the water out BEFORE it has been allowed to react with pyrites leading to AMD-contaminated water that because it's not pumped out rises and overflows. like in skyscraper foundations. If this is not dealt with soon building's foundations will deteriorate with disastrous effects (building collapsing for one). So by allowing unregulated actions in our old mines and mine dumps, they have allowed the creation of downstream problems to occur. So getting back to the mine dump issue. They used to be covered with soil on which plants were allowed to proliferate thus preventing erosion by the wind and rain. Additionally, the areas were fenced off and many signs were displayed on these fences to keep anyone out. This was very important to mining companies and they meticulously performed this duty (in the majority of cases). But since around 1980 the price of gold made it viable to rework these mine dumps that typically had 2 to 3 grams of Au per ton but with very specific rules and conditions attached to limit environmental contamination. In reworking these tailings dams (mine dumps) the surface protective layer was removed uncovering the tailings and thus exposing them to wind and rain. Compliance with the regulations has seemingly fallen away and governments with their laissez-faire approach allow them to get away with it. Also, all the fences and signs have been removed (stolen) and thus access to the restricted zones is easy... allowing people to flock in and unrestrictedly build informal settlements within the restricted zone.
Who is to blame for this situation? Well, the country has benefitted immensely from the gold mines with RSA having been the number one producer of gold in the world by a very large margin for around 100 years (until 2007 when its rapid drop off being in the top 20 produces started.) Large amounts of taxes have been paid all of that time. So it's about time that the government started to also take responsibility to ensure that these downstream problems (which they allowed to happen by not fulfilling their duty) are alleviated. In the new democratic SA, the government may like to use the excuse that they didn't know, however, that is not acceptable to me as if you don't you should ask. There are many people with expertise in this regard that could provide guidance. But yet they feel qualified to not acquire advice from these specialists. Allowing people to flood into the restricted areas unabated is a crime and head should role. However, under the current dispensation, it is clear that no heads will role and that unless there is a change in government the situation will not change. Of course, mines that continue to operate and flaunt the rules should also be held accountable. Gold is not useless, it has much value as a commodity in electronics for example. Its ability to resist corrosion and its excellent conductivity make it very useful and should it no longer be used in electronics, computers, and other items will become redundant a lot sooner than what is the case currently and have a knock-on effect in the environment far wider than the contaminated slimes dams here in Gauteng.
The answer is of course multi-focused.
1. Pump all reworked tailings back into the mine mixed with cement 9this is happening of course but one has to understand rock mechanics to do this...because of the immense pressure from overbearing rock these hollowed-out spaces close up with time so what has been taken out will not fit back in the available spaces. but it can and is done. (it obviously costs money and feasibility is always a consideration.
2. Do not allow any further settlement of these zones. Improve policing and patrolling.
3. The government, one of the largest landowners in the SA should provide alternative places for the people that are settled in the contaminated zone. (They can alternatively also acquire other land from private owners... for compensation is my belief)
4. police the mining operations and do not allow flaunting of the law regarding the management of the reworking of tailings dams and the management of existing mine dumps so that they are covered with plants that resist erosion and leaching.
5. All should make sure that the areas are fenced off and maintained. People breaking down fences must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
6. Water around the dams must be drained off to a neutralizing and treatment plant before being repurposed.
7. The government should abandon its laissez-faire approach to governing and become proactive to prevent problems before they occur.
There are more things that can be done but that is what I can think of off-hand. There matter is very serious and it has a serious knock-on effect on other resources that SA has. it puts a load on many other processes (such as health, medical, food, water, and others I would guess).
However, in summary, the mines were there before informal settlement took off exponentially after 1994 and this resulted in the unfortunate situation we sit in now. The government with its lack of intervention allowed the existing preventative and avoidable situation to develop by not taking the matter seriously enough. I know that there are many aspects that I have not taken into account in this brief take on the issue (from all points of view), but I wrote it hoping that others will respond with their own point of view whether in support of my view or against.
Just as a footnote, there are plenty of mine dumps on the eastern side of Gauteng. Officially they are not in Johannesburg whose municipal borders end just before the areas where there are many mine dumps. But claiming that there are no mine dumps on the east in Johannesburg is not true and is deceptive. (The mine dumps close to Cleveland on the south side of the M2 highway and plumb in Johannesburg (South Eastern part of JHB and close to Rosherville.) they are being reworked and the covering plants have been removed.
@@gregcombrink1626 Jezuz dude, no one comes to CZcams to read essays.
@@YoloMoloPolo300 who cares, I got it off my chest. lol Did you watch the video to the end?... or did you just skip through it?
We grew up with the horrible dust and thick yellow fog in winter; we just accepted various illnesses- nothing was done except the planting of various grasses and shrubs on the mine dumps - nothing else will ever be done because money is more important than human lives in this country
Yes and every country
Yes, definitely want them to put more plant cover on the contaminated dirt piles. Amazing to think some companies are so irresponsible as to not even try.
Thank you for making this... I've lived in Johannesburg my whole life and never heard anyone saying that the dumps are poisonous... none of them are fenced off or anything... and I remember a massive dust storm around 2012ish through the whole of Joburg blowing off of those dumps which means sometimes they contaminate much further away than 500 meters... pretty scary
Thank for the documentary, but I'm South African. In Johannesburg. And things will never change, cause of all the theft and corruption from the A.N.C.
Not speaking for the ANC, what did the former looters apartheid regime do about it. They are the ones who put those 4 roomed house around and near the mine dumps. Meadowlands, Dobsonville, Orlando East, Noordgaserg to name a few. All build during the height of apartheid by the looters of our mineral resources and our land.
This is a combination of corporate greed and government ineptitude...
Do you know your history 👀 are seriously blaming ANC for mine waste
ANC ? These are old mines from before ANC government.
Corruption of the ANC was done by the banks and mining companies.
Thank you for exposing the truth about the mining... The raping and pillaging of our living systems... The agony and murderous acts against humanity... The sufferings of the innocent ones. This documentary has brought tears to my eyes. I grew up in Johannesburg. We have known about these atrocities but have been shut down so many times. I salute you in this incredible work.
And you are most probably alive due to the mining industry.
@@SerpentInsideWTF
@@SerpentInside Firstly you do not explain why mining gold has anything to do with him being alive and secondly you are very insensitive on the matter because according to you, the ends justify the means, having a stronger economy is justified by people suffering ( your logic) :)
@@SerpentInside Yes, your moniker says it all. Kaffers are expendable . The Oppenheimer, the Anglo-American had known all along they are in Africa to Plunder and get rich. That's not happening in Europe and in the so called Western world.
Tula@@SerpentInside
Thank you for doing this documentary and exposing the negligence of greed from both our governments and the respective mining companies as well as their supply chains. It's deplorable. Share this far and wide, and get the word out. We need to put pressure on all the guilty parties.
The guilty ones are your owners
@@rafaelw8115 Politicians are put there to make you feel you still have a say, they to are owned. My most worthy possession is the love in my heart I don't take part in decadence anymore, in 2017 wildfires took everything I thought I owned amazing how much truth that brings to you
And what can you do but talk about it? No one will ever be arrested.
Indeed,especially since our very own Mr. President owns many slices in this pie. 🚮🚮
Why do Corporations always get away with destroying the environment and life with no repercussions to them ?
it's time to change that because those corporations are actually people with names faces and adresses
MONEY GREED POLITICAL CONNECTIONS. CORRUPTION.
money!!!!
I agree that the environmental destruction exists, but the human lives on the line are at their own behest. You need to understand that in South Africa we have a very large population of stupid people who want to be victims. They build their houses on the banks of rivers that flood often. They build their houses very close to each other so that when one burns, the entire neighborhood goes up in flames, and now they build their houses virtually on top of disused mines. This is done for one very specific reason. MONEY. The moment the shit hits the fan, they run crying to our government, demanding payouts from government for whatever disaster occurred. Government pays and the next day they rebuild in the exact same disaster prone area, hoping for another payday. There are even people who willfully have appendages amputated by machinery at work just so they can get negligence payouts from companies and the workmans compensation board. There are families that send their children to school in rickety old vehicles so that they can cry and demand payouts from government if that rickety old vehicle is involved in an accident. Simply put we are a country of mostly stupid people, run by stupid people to fund stupid people.
exploitation of the poor is normal.
Thank you for the Documentary. Its so sad to see people getting sick because of greed and profit and polluting the environment
The fact that the lady couldn't answer your question, it should definitely tell you something.. Our leaders are so greedy in such a way that they don't mind sacrificing the innocent people who doesn't benefit anything from these minerals but are the one who get these sicknesses 😭💔😡👿👿👿
Martin thanks for this eye opener. I live in soweto near snake park. I didn't even know how toxic these dunes are. I always thought, ah look at those cool mine mountains, not realizing that it's a huge death bed, these mine companies and educational institutions don't really get to the point in teaching us on the risks of living near these places. Our parents were not informed like we are. I so wish the government can and should help these people who can't afford to move out of these places
The government can and should be doing much, much more.
Johannesburg came into existence as a mining camp. Before the mines, it was only farming land.
So?
@@livingfaith9189it's called history. It's nice to know.
@@livingfaith9189The documentary incorrectly stated gold was discovered in a preexisting Johannesburg.
Joburg didn't exist when gold was discovered. It was some guy's farm. South Africa didn't even exist at that time.
This was way back when the Republic of Transvaal was an independent country. While the Cape was under British rule.
For the first 30 years, the discoveries were kept a secret for fear that the British would invade if they found out there's gold. They got greedy and tried to let prospectors mine in secret. The British found out anyway and invaded.
Then they let prospectors mine openly, and Johannesburg formed from that mining settlement.
british have been invading SA for hundreds of years already@@tylerdurden3722
I live in Snake Park, A place mentioned in this episode and I can confirm that everything mentioned here is true. The people are constantly getting sick. This information has been kept a secret for a while and the effects are downplayed. To make things worse, the mine hardly ever gives back to the community, They just hire a few people for show. Bribe is the order of the day. The government is in it too.There isn't much we can do.
Mara building a shack next to a mind dump is extra stupid.
Maybe that's all they could afford🙏❤😪😔.
@@patriciayarber3356they didn't pay for the land, they just live there. So, saying they could not afford to live elsewhere is not true. Townships are places where people mostly settle until they either move to the next in search of jobs, or they stay there for life. They could have gone to any other township (there are way too many, which is another issue that needs addressing) but they chose to live here. The thought probably just did not occur to them that it was a bad idea.
This is what i kept telling my friend during highschool. Soweto was built behind mine dumps and that dust hutting us is radioactive.
You guys should move away from there
You know what you have done by creating this documentary, South Africa will forever be thankful to the French for this.
The fact that you paid to get the tests done, as well as leave the findings behind for the community to use is incredibly selfless.
There will be no intervention from our Government that is a sad fact.
Also for those who are not sure why the lady was speechless when asked if she lives near the mines - She was not sure how to articulate that she is incredibly wealthy, probably lives in the heart of Sandton City, and those who live near the mine are the poor who need to build informal settlements as their government is unable to allocate or assist them with a place to live.
When she mentions they chose to stay there, that is the informal settlement which I refer to above.
Watching from cape Town township in sa id you are poor they don't care about you only the rich are taking care of that's how our democracy is a cursed 😅
This is greed at iys best.
Great documentary, but i think France is just looking for uranium... watch how's the video focuses mainly "uranium" than manganese, silica,lead, etc... just saying ...
And then the nerve to say that "they chose to live there"
They were kicked out of the Congo wonder why?🤕 🤒 😤🤑
As a South African myself from what i know each mine is registered as an independent Company so that when they have finished mining they then declare bankruptcy so that they only have to pay about 1/10 of what they were legally required for the cleanup of the mine waste its sad but it’s the reality and it’s not going to change anytime soon so we are just going to have to do our best to educate people about this problem and avoid living in these places with contamination
2:19 Her face should tell you all you need to know, they know the wind carries that toxic dust into that town but they live far away so they don’t care.
Thank you Host for all your effort and dedication! More power to you 💖💚
This documentary is very resourceful and eye opening, unfortunately our government and these companies will say, the people are not supposed to be staying there in the first place
I lived in JHB last year, by the West side of JHB, I ended up with a mysterious lung infection. The doctor asked me whether I have a history of this nature, nope I said because I had played sport and never intoxicated my body with substances. So, I don't know what happened I went straight to Gqeberha and my lungs were fine!
Watched this years ago, I wonder what action has been taken by the government to fix this.
I shed a tear at the end of this documentary. It was painful to watch. Thank you to all that made this documentary possible. South Africans, especially those directly affected by the mine pollutants will forever be grateful for this exposé.
Incredible journalism, reminds me of Special Assignment under Jacques Pauw et al.
Thank you for this ducumentary. Hope it will start a movement
Sjoe! Our government has so much invested in the mines... these people don't have a hope to get help and justice.
Thank you for exposing this atrocity to us all
Mining companies MUST put the sand back inside thousands of unused underground mines. Put them back where they came from underground instead of leaving it out in open to all residents of Johannesburg and surroundings!
Its not sand its poison
The water is poisoned, it's acid water not the sand genius
You will contaminate the underground aquifers doing that
We also have a problem in South Africa 🇿🇦, where people just put up zozos anywhere. Lots of people are land grabbing and building houses illegally on this land. The land is near the mine dumps, and because they know no one will build anything on that land, they just steal the land and start a township there.
I totally agree.
i agree but it also starts at the government not providing RDPs at a safe environment for the less advantage
Amen brother❤
Such ignorant comments just proves WE South Africans live totally opposite lives. MY people wouldn’t put up townships everywhere if land wasn’t stolen from them to begin with. Our government is far from perfect - but it’s such ignorance th@ clearly define white and black South Africa. Nobody wakes up, puts up a “zozo” just to be irritating. Our people don’t have homes and the government isn’t doing much about it. I pray they spread these “zozo’s” even deeper in Jhb North. Despicable. I’m indigenous to this land - and it’s my fellow people who you’re referring to. Pls to fact check your zozo comments before you put up such slander. Thank you.
@@lesibalehutjo8759goverment is suppose to give 1.6mill rdp houses for what how many of those people are legally here. And we know that some people once they have rdp houses won't even stay in those houses but rent it out to whoever for extra money they'll still live their same lives nothing will change for the better
The Soweto river system is polluted by these mine dumps. plant and animal life is depleting. I am glad you shined a light on this topic.
This is some high level documentary 🔥
Great documentary
District 9 is a better documentary about that place.
I just realized how good it felt to see that you get stronger and stand up for yourself!
Awesome! 💕 -:*
They could also just declare it a hazard zone and move people. When the mine started there was very few if anyone there. Over time they have build in the areas that were not zoned for human habitation. Is this the mines problem or the City and Governments problem?
There are many industries that will never be safe. The only way to ensure safety is to have a buffer zone.
But it seems that no one is interested in maintaining or even acknowledging this zone.
To add context:
Some of these mining deposits are between 80 to 120 years old.
A lot of these properties were returned to government with rehabilitation plans called the “financial quantum”
Tailings deposits were to a large extent properly closed off and revegetated.
“remining” of tailings is a problematic loophole in SA legislation.
“remining has opened up the soils used for rehabilitation and stabilization.
Don't always blame the original miner.
Urban growth over time has crept up to these tailings deposits, not the other way around.
Poor town planning is a huge issue in Gauteng as people want to be as close to work as possible and don't understand why some areas need to be kept open.
Emerging ground water from old flooded mines is a bigger problem to water catchments
So why do u defend wrong is wrong
No one is defending, as a South African I'm giving you context.@@antheapayne9416
That woman when asked about why she doesn't live by the tailings, the smirk across her face knowing full well!😮 What an absolute @#*!.
Thank you for the work ✌🏼
Thank you... thousands of citizens suffering from this mine dust..I personally had a biopsy and mine dust and cyanide had been noticed in my lungs..and I live a conciderate distance from these mine heaps..this caused Sarcoids disease..and pulmonary fibroses
Very awfull to hear, wish you the best! 🤎
Sorry to hear hope someone can help
Thank you so much. I hope they really do something to help the people
Thank you Sophia - This needs to go all the way to the top.
Around 2010 I did a Sociology asignment at University about the movement of people in South Africa. Around 25% of South Africa's inhabitants live in the smallest province Gauteng. One of the major industries being Mining.
Why do they flock there? Money?
They know the risks, still they stream there, risking their health.
Lately we have had disaters related to illegal mining.
Maybe greed at all levels? Just like the disaster called coruption?
How can poor people looking to make a living be compared to the rich& greedy who don’t suffer what the poor? Something is wrong in your thinking!
@@antheapayne9416 What is poor and who is responsible for job creation? All about ones perception and basic makeup. Having electricity for example is not a need but a want. My exprerience Greed is Greed. I have been active in humanitarian work for over 30 years.The looting shows the basic fibre, the crime rate and other stats shows the numbers do not lie. Mines cause TB which are known to kill. My career Forensic Audit and I did study Pshycology.
👏👏👏👏👏👏great work, thank you for amplifying the voice of the voiceless!!
Thank u so much for your love and efforts❤
My major question is why is the Uranium not extracted and resold. This would automatically decrease risk and fund the removal or extraction of arsenic????
🔊 🔊 🔊
Thank you so much for this guys
Excellent work. Amazing. Well done. I hope the people get a chance to move away quickly before the Inquiry reports. Years of suffering; and the little ones need, immediately, a healthy environment and treatment. This is serious scientific evidence gathering. Just what journalism can be. :)
Thank you and please follow it up to make sure that something is done, those precious babies deserve better.
Brilliant doc. Well done and thank
Thank you for this. My family and I have lived in Joburg all our lives. The government don't see this as a problem. I can only hope this documentary goes far enough to help!!! 😶
Brilliant Work guys👏
@javadiscovery great energy in this documentary
Sad reality and all the big brands don't even want to account for where they get their Gold bcoz they knw once they get what they want they abandon the mines and the dumps. Thank you for the documentary.
Again thank you. Now I know. And I will play my role in assisting the families that can't afford to move. I will also contribute to the change, what I saw in this mini docu is draining the life force out of me. I'm in tears. Imagine. Gold is not that important. It's just a metal that rich people want to get high off, and get more wealthier ,not putting another person's wellbeing into consideration
I live in Alberton since 1987 and the doc. Told us from the begining about the mine dumps how they are toxic causing sinus coughs bronchitis eye trouble and many more caused by arsenic copper and radioactive materials
Another place that worries me the most is Sasolburg. I'm pretty sure it's way worse .
Keep doing what you doing!
Had to come back and watch it for the second time.
😮 I used to play on those dumps as a kid
Wow nice Doccie 👏
I am glad to have found this channel. I am sad though, because wow...
And I'm seldom speechless.
I just want to point out, some of these minedumps existed LONG before the population explotion which causef the residential areas to extend closer and closer to the minedumps, despite of the the previous and current dispensation s warnings. People simply do not care about the warmings, NOW their demise is being passed on to the governmemt. If people DID adhere to the laws and NOT occupy land adjacent to these minedumps, things would be different. This documentary makes it sound that mining was DELIBERATELY create among residential areas. THAT IS INCORRECT!
Yeah yeah, the people who move in next to these mine dumps are a special kind of stupid BUT the dust from these mine dumps blows all over Gauteng and beyond, you can live 300km away and still spend your entire life breathing this stuff in. It's really stupid and build houses next to mine dumps or but equally stupid to think that these mine dumps aren't a problem that effects the entire region.
Its absolutely tragic, I knew the radiation was very high in my city,, but I wasn't aware of the heavy metals from the gold dumps. i doubt that the mining industry wasn't aware of it and are negligent.
Wow, thanks a lot for the good work guys, how do we donate to your channel?
Capitalism entails never ending checks and balances. We enjoy the benefits of prosperity but at the same time need to prioritize human wellbeing. We need more local exposé on issues affecting the less fortunate and general communities. We need journalists who have the love of sparking positive change and less focused on commercial endeavors.
Educational piece of information
11:00 That's a lawsuit for the government. No child deserves that. May she be blessed 🙏🏽
Justice is for the wealthy in this Country! Not unless a politician will use her as a tool to get votes, then the family will be forgotten
I am 87years old living in the Benoni area. I have payed on these dumps most of my youth Also used the dumps for training for the Comrades marathon which I completed 3 times . I have competed in the Duzi canoe race 4 times done many many triathlons along with many of my friends most of which are all very much alive and well
WOW. I've lived in job all my life and I pass those dumps every day. I had no idea about the dangers! Thank you for this! Unbelievable that this isn't spoken about in Johannesburg
Very moving
I grew up with these mine dumps all around us , the dust in our homes was terible. My mom used to play on these dumps as a child . We wer told a few years ago that they wer desolving these dumps, they wer repumping it back into the old abandoned mines, I did notice in the last 10 years that the mine dumps wer shrinking , but never ever thought that it was radio active. I was also told once that the sand was used as plaster sand and sold to developers , so if it is radio active , then many homes are plastered with this sand , I wonder if this will ever be investigated .some suburbs are even built on the shrunken mines , one for example is in tuilisa park ,and the new add on suburb at the bottom of regents park . another is at the top end of Benrose offramp, all these homes are built on radio active dumps and the people there have no clue.
Thank you Martin for conducting this reaserch and raising awareness of such conducts. The levels of radiation are way too high.
I'm sure the people in power have always know about these findings but obviously they choose to ignore that.
Now let's see if the South African government acts 🤞🏿
My grandfather came from Germany to SA during WW2 and retired from Harmony Gold mine, I am not proud, to say the least, Also lived in Johannesburg for a long time also near the mines and never thought they could be toxic, my mother told me they went surfing down those "hills" as kids, i'm in shock.
I didn’t know those mountains were toxic. Damn. 😳
How many years have you been there?
If possible can you also cover the issue of the so called zamazamas,it is also the issue of concern as I see policemen collecting bribes everyday in this informal settlement I reside on,it looks like the government officials are also involved in this...they are playing publicity stunts attacking zamazamas on camera,what we see on television is different from what we witness on daily basis...Government should regulate this sector and create jobs or leave the zamazamas alone,because this is their way of feeding their families.
Very good documentary, the animals look horrible. Some missing half a leg, blindness…..my goodness. Polluting the poor for shinny rocks for the rich. Disgusting.
Very Sad and disgusting!
I pray this starts the wheel turning to find justice and balance. Thank you for enlightening us.
As a South African that watches as this country falls to its knees, I can sadly assure you that despite this great initiative to bring the issue to light, nothing will be done... The issue will persist for years to come due to the current ruling political parties corruption and greed to line their own pockets. Its true that these informal settlements should not be near these mine dumps, however the government does nothing about that either.
South-Africa don't even surprise me anymore
I used to drive past those dunes on the way to work, never knew this! Thank you!
Wow incredible they need to do serious investigation because this has affected people.
I grew up in Freeway Park, Boksburg right over the highway from a mine dump and it has affected my sinus tract and breathing over the years, I also remember when I was going to my doctor he said that since the ANC had taken over and for some reason the mine companies ceased keeping the tops of the mine dumps watered down that he had seen an enormous increase in the amounts of young kids from the area being diagnosed with Asthma...
After around 1998 when the program of keeping the dumps wet stopped the sand storms that blew through the neighborhood were constant, you could dust the whole house and just a few hours later there would be a fine yellow dust on the surface again...
I do however feel that you have only highlighted one of the many demographics of the South African population in this investigation, I can`t help but notice that you only interviewed and tested the poorer people that live on occupied land around the mines, as I stated I grew up in a working class neighborhood near a mine dump, in an actual house, on a mortgage, from a bank...it`s not only the poorest of the poor that this issue affects in Johannesburg...
Is there a link with the SA Gold Mines and the Oppenheimer movie?
The Manhattan project’s uranium came from Katanga in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Shameful south africa bureaucracy. Great job exposing this important truth.
Very Enlightening - and very easy to see where this is going - but I'm not writing it here.
a follow up documentary is needed 2024...
What infuriates me is the absolute bewilderment and ignorance of the people at the top. Are you telling me that nobody has thought about taking a sample and testing it? That we needed people who live outside the country to care more about it than our own system? It should be common sense to keep records of the people who get sick of the arsenic, lead and radiation in the air surrounding us and to test the environment. But the infrastructure is despicable, because like Ramaphoza said in the summit - when our country asks for help, we get sent to the back of the line and called "beggars" by other nations. Our country is a toxic waste and the people who live here need to wake up. Been living here my whole life and it breaks my heart to know this is happening to the hardworking people surrounding it.
Nothing can and will ever be done about this great injustice. The values of great companies listed in USA and UK depend on this.
This is an interesting show I live in South Africa and really close t a mine and next to a mining dune like that but I didn't know how many heavy metals and harsh chemicals they were producing.. we need more journalists like this
I lived in Welkom, Free State, for many years and believe my asthma and lung issues stem from the mine dust I inhaled. I never had health issues until living there, I would love to be included in your health survey / action
What people don't realise is that the constant coal particles raining down on us in Jhb is even worse than the mine dumps around the city.
That is heartbreaking, to see the ignorance , South Africa
Thank you for this eye opening documentary into the social impact, the health impact causing regression of quality of life here in Johannesburg.
I'm hoping that this will shake and move the culprits, the multimillion dollar conglomerates into positive action in terms of compensating communities.
Also they should be compelled to clean up their toxic waste, which causes life long illness and death
I stayed in Joburg for a year and I was sick the whole time I was there and don't even get me started on my skin. I moved back to my home town and my skin cleared up.
Keep us updated on the court case
Heartbreaking, didn't know about this
Moved away from JHB 10 years ago. This is crazy!
Reminds me of the place of "the most toxic city in USA".. a whole toxic waste land just dump in openess
I grew up in maraisburg Roodepoort. Used to play on the dumps as a kid. I even took my kids there. I even collected some as a kid. My Dad used some ad building sand for our house. Thank you for the information
I remember this being a talking point at least 10-15 years somewhere about that time frame. All of a sudden it was swept under the carpet I can't remember why it might have just changed to another of the many issues we have here