Residents of Merafong on the West Rand run a risk of contracting diseases as they live in asbestos-roofed houses.
According to the National Institute for Occupational Health, asbestos is highly dangerous because it is a carcinogenic mineral fibre that breaks down into microscopic, durable particles.
“When inhaled, these fibres lodge deep in the lungs or abdomen, causing chronic inflammation, severe scarring and fatal cancers.”
Health dangers of asbestos exposure explained
The civil society group, One Merafong Organisation, said there were many families in Kokosi and Khutsong whose lives were in danger due to being exposed to asbestos dust.
Spokesperson Buti Mthembu said they managed to locate about 150 houses in Khutsong at the Zulu and Xhosa sections.
“These people are aware of the danger associated with asbestos, but there is nothing they can do because most of them are poor and unemployed,” said Mthembu.
The organisation was continuing to search for more houses so that they could compile a report and come up with a strategy to compel the government to address the issue, Mthembu said.
“In Kokosi, where I come from, the RDP houses that were built in around 1996, had asbestos roofing and, even today, nothing has been done to address the problem. That is why we need the residents to be screened to make sure that they were not affected.”
Call for government accountability intensify
Something needed to be done urgently because people’s lives were in danger, he said, adding it was a pity to see that around the province there were people who were still exposed to asbestos, even though the Gauteng government announced in 2008 that no structure should have an asbestos roof as it was dangerous.
“They are living under roofs laced with the deadly carcinogen asbestos, despite it being officially banned by the Gauteng legislature in 2008.
“The laws are clear: asbestos is a hazardous material that endangers our health and our future. Yet, officials within the government have turned a blind eye, allowing this silent killer to persist.”
Push for screening and intervention
Mthembu said his organisation would continue to visit different areas around Merafong to expose the asbestos problem.
“We demand the government get rid of the asbestos roofing within the communities, as it endangers the lives of the residents. We have also urged the authorities to conduct medical screening and support for all residents affected, or at risk of asbestos-related diseases.
“The law is on our side because the provincial government banned asbestos roofs nearly 20 years ago and it’s time for those laws to be enforced. The inaction and negligence of local officials are a clear violation of our rights and an open invitation for disaster.
“The asbestos crisis is a ticking time bomb. We won’t wait for more lives to be lost. We will hold those responsible accountable.”
Longstanding promises remain unfulfilled
A statement posted on the provincial government’s website in 2014 reads: “The government will phase out hazardous asbestos roofing. Most of the houses in the townships are roofed with asbestos, which has since been identified as a serious health hazard.”
The Asbestos Relief Trust was established in 2003 after the now-defunct asbestos mining powerhouses agreed to make available about R500 million in compensation to the affected workers and host communities.
However, Mpumalanga miners accused the trust of stopping operations in the province. Some alleged their claims had been pending for a long time.
