Anglo Platinum has issued a rebuttal of claims made by Action Aid that alleged that families were forcibly removed from their homes and water contaminated.

A report from Action Aid, released on March 26th, indicated that nitrate levels in water around Anglo Platinum's mines in Limpopo were more than nine times the level of safe drinking water while adding that villagers had been removed from their homes against their will.

But Anglo Platinum has strongly denied the accusations by issuing a new report labelled, 'The Real Facts', which answers each accusation.

Mary-Jane Morifi, Head of Corporate Affairs at Anglo Platinum, said the Action Aid report was "extremely one-sided".

"We have compiled this document from material already put in the public domain. The facts are out there. Action Aid, for its own motives has chosen to selectively interview a very small number of disaffected individuals and families and to present their views as those of the satisfied majority that make up the communities adjacent to our mines," she said in a statement.

In response to claims of water contamination, Anglo Platinum said that Nitrate pollution was common around the world and is often caused by poor agricultural practices or inadequately-treated sewage.

Anglo Platinum also questioned the analytical work taken by Action Aid before it alleged that mining was the cause.

Responding to the claims that people were being unfairly relocated, Anglo Platinum said that 7,000 Ga-Pila residents willingly moved and 8,000 have willingly moved to new homes in the Motlhotlo community.

The firm said the people had welcomed the provision of better and larger accommodation, more farmland and better infrastructure - some of which was funded by Anglo Platinum.

A statement from the firm said that the lives of people in the communities affected by the relocations had been "significantly improved".

Action Aid made the allegations in a report entitled 'Precious Metal: the impact of Anglo Platinum on poor communities in Limpopo, South Africa'.

Sources:

Media Release and report from Anglo Platinum, 31/03/08
http://www.angloplatinum.com/def_main.asp?Id=press/display.asp&Id2=185&Related=true

South Africa: ActionAid Calls for Urgent Action on Water Contamination Around Anglo Platinum Mines, 26/03/08
http://allafrica.com/stories/200803260961.html


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