FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA)
Cancer Walk: Walking for a cure
The South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), Blue roof Wellness
Centre, the Mother’s Prayer Group of Christ the King held a cancer walk on the 11th
October 2014. The purpose of this walk is to create more awareness of the disease
of cancer and a healthy lifestyle, statistics show that cancer is on the rise. The aim
was to raise our distresses about the impacts that chemical emissions have on the
surrounding communities and the affect this is having on their health and quality of
life.
Over a thousand of residents walked as mothers, children and fathers affected by
the high levels of toxic emissions emanating out of the petrochemicals and chemical
industries of south Durban. The walk started at the Badula Road grounds,
proceeded to Engen Refinery where a statement of the communities concerns and
demands was read out by Desmond D’Sa (SDCEA Coordinator): “We have come
here to Engen Refinery as we have done since 1995. In 1995, we informed former
President Nelson Mandela in the streets who informed the communities that we as
people of south Durban must not be afraid to raise our voices when we are affected.
Be it the high levels of pollution or high unemployment rate. For many years, we as
the residents are victims of Engen’s toxic pollution. The health study in 2002
confirmed that half the population at the Settlers Primary School has asthma. Within
that population more than half the children have chronic asthma. The health study
completed in 2007; funded by both industry and the eThekwini municipality,
provincial and national government; showed an acceleration of people affected by
asthma.
We would like to further inform you that according to the South Durban Health Study,
the lifetime is estimated at 25 per 100 000 in one community (Wentworth) [Guideline
is 1 per 100 000].we are known to live on the ‘cancer alley’ of Durban. We are
burying people dying from cancer every week. According to statistics of CANSA,
90% of cancers are affected by the surrounding environment, despite the cancer rate
being estimated to three times higher than the world average.”
We know that dreaded cancer causing chemicals such as benzene, toluene and
xylene continue to be emitted by the petro chemical’s industry at alarming and disproportional levels in the south Durban area.
Our young children are dying of leukemia (blood cancer) in our polluted suburbs –
young children are not meant to die of leukemia. According to DrBlaauw, In south
Durban we have reason to believe that the presence of cancer is 24 times higher
than any part of the country.After comparing cases in south Durban with national
cancer statistics over the past 10 years, DrBlaauw calculated that the rate of
leukaemia in Merebank children under the age of 10 was at least 24 times higher
than the national average. DrBlaauwalso calculated that the rate of all other cancers
in this age group was more than four times higher than the national rate.
The 2007 health study conducted in the south Durban indicated that exposures to air
pollutants (SO2, PM10, and NO2 and NO) cause poorer lung function among children
in Durban who have persistent asthma or who are genetically predisposed to
asthma. Exposures to certain specific cancer-causing chemicals, such as benzene
and chromium, are higher in the south.
Our demands
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24 hours health clinic with trained asthma and cancer nurses
A cancer registry to collect reliable statistics on cancer rates
Recommendation of the 2007 eThekwini Health Study that called for the
characterization of chemicals coming over the fenceline amongst the other
recommendations
Reduction of vehicle emissions which increases the risk of asthma and cancer
Polluter pay principle to be enforced
Severe sanctions and enforcement on the major polluters
National Department of Environmental Affairs to refuse the polluting
industries any defferment or extension to comply with established standards
for toxic emmission.
The walk ended at the Highbury Road Grounds with speeches and entertainment.
Noluthando Mbeje
SDCEA Communication and project officer