Toxic fuels[Paraffin] in Kwatzadudza

Kwatzadudza.The name come from three townships in the eastrand, that is Kwathema, Tsakane and Duduza in Ekurhuleni and with lot of informal settlement around. Uneplyoment is very high which increases the rate of crime as well.
Informal settlement and rural commnuties especially the poor still denpend very much on paraffin as means of energy since is affordable.
Paraffin remains a popular fuel choice for South Africa, despite its dangers. Paraffin remains most affordable,convenient and practical energy source for many poor Kwatsadudza household and South africa at large,Rural and urban alike.
Paraffin is the toxic fuel and use in poorly ventilated homes which increases the risk of inhalation and thus contracting or exacerbating resparation illness. Paraffin is often stored in empty cooldrink bottles not labelled and the risk of accidental ingestion is high.Fires resulting from use of paraffin stoves are frequent,with over 400 000 fires annually. Approximately 100 000 homes are destroyed every year, particularly in high density informal settlement like Langa ville which is between Kwa thema and Tsakane.Fires also results in fatalies and burns especially children. Exposure to the Paraffin fumes is assosciated with a number of respration deseases including chronic obtructive pulmonary deseae,lung cancer,nasopharyngeal cancer,Tubercolsis and eye desease, low birth weight and acute lower respiratory infections may be recorded,particularly in children under age of five.According to the Goverment figuresm up to 40% of household in South Africa mosttly low income household in rural and urban informal settlement, still rely on Paraffin and is becoming expensive. This means that nearly 5 million households,comprimising 20 milion people, use paraffin for cooking and heating.I visited the family of Sam Thabethe staying at Langaville. He is unemployed with a wife and 3 children, he uses paraffin.
These are the questions that ask him.
1, Why are they still using Paraffin instead of other means.
2,How much do they know about the danger of Paraffin,
3,Do they make sure the bottles are put in a safe place,
Mr Thabethe
Thou paraffin is getting expensive but its what the can afford, the dont have a choice. Concerning safety , he said the kids are the one who goes and buy it at the garage so the bottles that contains the paraffin wont do anything, since they know.Concerning deases, he does not know anything because he is been using for a long time and he si not sick. I explain to him, and ask him to talk to others for a meeting.
This lead to talk about energy poverty.Aspect of energy povertym where poor are forced to rely on paraffin for energy, the inefficient ways of prducing and using these source which results in adverse health and environmental impacts.
MESHACK MBANGULA
Kwa thema monitor
kwa thema environmental org

Toxic water in Kwathema,Paynville and Duduza

Acid mine drainage is a type of Toxic pollution caused when acidic water flows out from abandoned mines.Asthe water flows out of the mine, it trikles into waterways and permeates the soil and enters the watertable, causing widespread contamination
The following aticle focuses on an aspect of this disaster in the eastrand, Ekurhuleni Townships, namely, Kwathema,Paynville and Duduza, which has received less attention. For 100 years, the area in the eastrand has been one of the richest mining underground gold and uranium bearing reefs in South Africa. Many of the companies which eploited the resources have disapeared. however, they have left an expensive legacy of Environmental pollution. Mines like Grootvlei in Springs near Paynville which is pollting blesbokspuit fulltime and Vlakvontein polluting wetlands in Kwa thema and Duduza..
Lately, attention has been focused on the problem of acid mine drainage which consist of uncotlolled flows of polluted water from abandoned mines into the surface watersources and underground aquifers sorrounding the former mines near township. the pontetail and existing damage from the acid water to the above townshpis water suplly and health risks to the ecosystems and human beings are massive. the Grootvleimine bells rang when the mine started discharching its untreated water into the adjecent wetland as well as Blesboksprit. as the resultther were mass death of fish, crabs and other life forms.
Aurora empowerment systems. took over with no mine experience, within four months, Aorora begen to default. it allowed acid mine drainage to be deposired in the blesbokspruit the Enfofement arm of the the Dept of water affairs from 19 March 2010, 2000 workers distrught by the failure to paid, down the tools, leaving only 100 workers to take of the essential care and maintance. which is highly impossible.Communities in the near townships suffer most and no body seems to care. Commuties in Paynviile iling in the shacks depend on thes water of rhe wetlands and blesbokspruit. The mine Bosses have no where to found.Councils refere the matter to mines.
Local speaker Mr Mathebula indicated that the is whith the Gorverment the will inform me if the meetings takes place with Mine bosses as the Goverment.
MESHACK MBANGULA
Kwa thema environmetal org
kwathema monitor

Mine shaft in Kwa thema and paynviille

These two township are in the Eastrand now called Ekurhuleni in South Africa.Eastrand is one of the areas which was crowded by mines before, and the are still operating in this area.
The problem we are facing now, The mines that are no more in operation but the damage they have left still live the commuties.Vlakfontein mine near Kwa thema which is no more in operation, left mine shaft 5 in Kwa thema in the Interland section near the graveyard which lot of people pass by going different placees and is close to Phulong high school. the shaft is not secured, no warning signs and is not fenced.
Inspecting the shaft we find that ,it has holes in it, sometimes its full of water after the rain, One cannot see how deep are holes.The danger we are facing, is children can go and play in there and fall in the hole drown and die there.Speaking to the families staying near the shaft. Aflred and Thoko Mokoena, indicated that the are few children who got injured in the shaft. the current state parents make sure that they kids dont go to that place,Thoko indicated that most of the time the are at work so anything can happen.I ask if the commuty around raised any corcern about the shaft. she said people mind they own busines as well as they kids. the second family i spoke to. the family of Zinhle Mthembu. The shaft is used by thugs in the evening when people are from work or even passerby, the place is very dark at night any thing can happen without being seen. the second problem is the kids they play in shaft get injured but the commuty around is not united to fight the problem. I went to the ward coucil Temi Dladla. I was told to write a letter of appointment, which i did. the meeting took place on tuesday morning 26 2011.We spoke about the the problem. she said that she will take the matter to the board as soon as it sits and took my details for discusions and feed back
Paynviile
The councillor of paynville,Thabo Maseko was available to talk with me.Paynviile is having a shaft no12, its not secured and no warning signs around for the people to know. Mr Maseko indicated that the shaft is a big problem because lot of poeple have since disapeard without any trace and the cases are with the police, They are not sure that people disapeard on the shaft or not, but the shaft is deep.He indictaed that mines like Aurora are not coplying with the moning works programme and copliance with the environmental management programme. Maseko said he place the blame on the doorstep of the Department of mineral resources (Susan Shabangu).
The second problem of the shaft is that the water from the ground is full is having acid, the water now flows to Blesbokspruit polluting the water as well. We decided to call East rand water care company(ERWAT) for possible meeting with them, the reception took Maseko details they will come back to him. Secodly i ask him to try and cornven a meeting with the Mayor that will include Temi Dladla on the issue of these shafts.
The Goverment must make sure with the existing operating Mines, that this does not happen in the future auding the compliance of Environmental managent programme, because of severe environmetal degradation. The results of this, poor commuties are the one who suffers.
The matter will go on until something is done. Save our poor commuties by involving yourself.
MESHACK MBANGULA
KWA THEMA MONITORS
KWA THEMA ENVIRONMENTAL ORG

Tailings dams in Kwa Thema,Paynville and Daggafontein

The East rand has been mined for more than a century.i is on gold and uranium mining basin with extraction, from more than 50 mines. The Eastrand mines basin covers an area of 1000km, Has some 400km of mines tailings dams.
Waste from Gold mines constitutes the largest single source of waste and pollution in South Africa.
Kwa thema Paynville and Daggafontein in the eastrand are township which are highly affected by this waste from the mines called tailings dams which they consiist of Acid mine drainage{AMD} and heavy metals like sulphur.
Acid mine drainage is responsible for the most cstly environmetal and socio-economic impacts. AMD pollute water and siol and affect health of commuties living near these tailings dams, Like Thema, Paynville and Daggafonteim. Acid mine drainage polluted water may lead to increased rates of cancer,decrease cognitive function and appearance of skin lesions. Heavy metals in drinking water could compromise foetal neural development, which can result in mental retardation.
Section 9 in Kwa thema is low cost houses are built on the footprints of or adjacent to vlakfontein mine, which is now closed, While the waste will continue to generate(AMD)for centuries affecting the poor commuty.
I took the initiative to talk the families who are living closer to the waste
The of Anthony Vilakazi not employed
T he qoestions i ask them.
1. what they know about tailings dams?
2.Do they know about acd mine mine drainage?
3.Children play in the waste
4.When these houses were build were they informed about the dangers?
Response.
1. They only know that this comes from under groud from the mine
2.They know acid but not aware that this waste have acid.
3. The kids do ply in the waste
4. They were happy for the houses, they did not ask anything about the waste.
I took some time to educate them about the dangers of these tailings dams to they health and the next comong generation. They must not drink water that cmes from the AMD. Idid the same with the family of Zodwa Mkhwanazi and Mike Mokoena. I ask them to try and spread the information. In Paynville i spoke to Simon Mahanzula who is a cgarrete rep. I used the same question above.His response is that, Thou he has knowledge, The tailings dam is not fenced so people pass through when they go to the shops,and kids ply football the.I made an appointment with commuty leader Zwelibanzi Mbatha, He can be avaible after elections. I left my paticulars and took his.Local goverment spoke person known as Mr Mahlasela. i ask him about the tailings dams in the three places. His responce was that.
The Goverment has called a meeting with the mine owners in May not sure of the exact date, he wiil find out for and email it. The mine owners must account for the waste and come with away forward.
Daggafontien is next to attended to, Because it a remote area.
Acid mine drainage has been estimated to be the greatest ecological risk next Global warming. If indeed the extent of problems related to mining waste may be ratedas secnd only to global warming the Eastrand mining area of South africa is a serious risk especially the poor and woman.
Arguably the sin of our day is failure to care for poor in this Environmental destruction. I invive everyone to make awareness on this issue. I still busy with matter.

MESHACK MBANGULA
Kwa thema evironmental org
kwa thema monitors

Kwa thema Domestic pollution

Kwa thema is a township which is situated in Ekurhuleni in the east of Johannesburg South Africa.Kwa thema township is having high number of unemployment, And crime is high.
Kwa thema is a township which originated from aera called Paynville. poeple were moveed from Paynville because of Tornado which struck in 1958. the other reason was apartheid.
Kwa thema is township which still using coal stoves as way of cooking, boiling water and warming the house. the coal stoves were introduced by the goverment of that time, because believed that blacks did not deserve electricity. they have to used coal as the they are black. It was rasist goverment,Majority of Kwa thema still uses the coal stoves as of today.Kwa thema at five in afternoon is dark because of the smoke everybody is making fire for cooking, Its like seven in the envening.I Meshack went out to make a reseach, to find out how much our peolpe know about smoke that is produced by the same coal stoves they are using and the negative effect it has in they health as well as pollution in the artmosphere.Educate them about rewable energies.
The first family i spoke to, is the family of.
1 Mafa C Mahlangu
1.He still used coal stove because he is earning very less and cannot afford the prepaid eletricity. He only uses electricity for lights.
2.He has no idea of pollution of the artmosphere, but has little information about them getting sick from the smoke,
3,No idea about Renewable energy, and he indicated after i explain to him that will be a good idea to have that, Replacing coal
The second family Jampi S Monedi
1. He is having a family of seven,not working, the coal stove save him a lot, because they make fire once a day, but can cook many times, boil water and warm the the house as well. they only used electricity for for lights,
2.Monedi knows little about the danger of the smke in their health but nothing about polltion of the artmosphere.
3.No idea about renewable energy,
ACTION
I explain to both the families about the danger of smoke,and how it pollutes our artmospher and educated them renewable energy,
Most of our poeple still need education climate change, What affects it, what is Carbon dioxide and other chemicals, Because commutieis in shacks still use Mbawulas and sleep with it inside the house,
LOCAL LEADERS
They did want to be mentioned.
Their are prepared to deal with the matter after elections. I try persuade them that this issue is of important during these elections, because it will be raising awareness about domestic pollution.
Climate change is likely to have far reaching and catastrophic social impacts and will affect communities in different ways.It is shocking that leaders dont want to entertain this issue of pollution or because they dont know about it SAVE KWA THEMA
MESHACK MBANGULA
Kwa thema environmetal org

KWA THEMA DOMESTIC POLLUTION

Kwa thema is a Township which is situated in the east of Johannesbur.It falls under Ekurhuleni.
Kwa thema is one the Township which still uses the coal stoves as means of cooking and warming the house. The shacks in the Township, Uses the coal stoves as well
Kwa thema was not having electricityin the 1960s, Until Electricity was introduced in the late Seventies. But was expensive secodly people were used in using the coal stoves.
ACTION
1 peolpe still used the stoves because of prepaid electricity, they cant afford.
2 Coal stoves you can use for cooking and warming the house same time.
3 Coal is cheaper
PROBLEMS
1 Coughing
2 Breathing problem
3 Burning eyes
SOLUTIONS AND OBJECTIVES
1 Shining a light on Kwa thema Community about danger of smke
2 Raise awareness about carbon Dioxied in the Artmosphe and their health.
3 Greater participation
4 Education about Rewablbe ernegy
LOCAL LEADERS
1 They wiil be able to talk to me after Elections as they are busy with campaings
2 The issue of climate change is it one campaing issue? No
3 The issue of smoke is not in the agenda
I hope to speak to community Leaders soon.
MESHACK MBANGULA
KWA THEMA MONITOR

KWA THEMA DOMESTIC POLLUTION