A touch of tentative hope in the air surrounds the more than six year long battles in the Stellenbosch area by sensitive residents, who have and are suffering from the ill effects of toxic spray drift from neighbouring wine farms. The event which gave me hope that things will now be moving towards giving effected residents a proper hearing and respite from their troubles was … [Read more...]
Poison saga continues - nobody takes responsibility
You remember that we wrote the story of Mr Leslie Steenkamp who tried to rid his Plumstead house of borer-beetles, but instead ended up losing it due to an over-application of a pesticide CTX 108 by a fumigation company, Pestokil. As promised in our story last time, the Green Times has been in touch with all companies concerned in order to give them a fair chance to have … [Read more...]
Plumstead family displaced from poisoned house
In the Cape Town suburb of Plumstead stands a house poisoned by the over-application of a pesticide by a fumigation company some 11 months ago. The young Steenkamp family have battled since January this year to get their house restored to a safe and liveable home for their young baby daughter, who was born during May, in the middle of their struggle. To this day Mr Leslie … [Read more...]
World war neurotoxin poisons Waterfront diners
In our country the destructive effects of the World Wars are still prevailing, as was evidenced by the poisoning of innocent diners at the V&A Waterfront last week. To date at least 8 people have contacted Jurgen Schirmacher, chairman of TATIB (The Air That I Breathe) to complain about on-going illness since eating at outside tables at the Waterfront last week. A waterfront … [Read more...]
End of the road for Endosulfan
Last Friday in Geneva it was agreed and announced that Endosulfan was too toxic to have on the planet. The Air That I Breathe (TATIB) Foundation, founded in Stellenbosch, has thanked their South African supporters for their commitment and endurance. After extensive review and debate, and years of work on behalf of especially the chairman, Jurgen Schirmacher, the chemical … [Read more...]
Media thrown out of public pesticide meeting
A public meeting organised by The Air That I Breathe Foundation (TATIB) with the Stellenbosch city manager to discuss the issue of spray drift stalled this morning when planning, property and integrated human settlements director Basil Davidson, who deputised for the city manager at short notice, refused to proceed with the meeting until members of the media had left the … [Read more...]
The Silent Spring Continues
The use of toxic agricultural sprays - even in towns - seems set to continue unabated in our country, in spite of urgent requests from citizens, neighbours and parents of children on farm schools, in spite of the health risks they pose to vulnerable farm workers, the ground water and biodiversity. In a letter by medical doctor Johan Minnaar from Groblersdal to Rapport … [Read more...]
Spring is poison time in the Boland
I trust it is safe to say that spring has finally arrived in the Cape. And with it comes gorgeous flower, blossoms, birds and beautiful burst of colour. I have already been lucky to receive in my garden an active team of bees pollinating my mostly indigenous flowers, unlike many parts of the world where the bees are disappearing due to illnesses and also the indiscriminate use … [Read more...]
KWV to clean up their vineyards
Progress on the poison front! The KWV head office has put plans in place to reduce their use of poison sprays during the next season and have made a commitment to sharing their learnings with others in the industry. During the past season the newly established group TATIB (The Air That I Breathe) received complaints from residents living in the vicinity of the KWV vineyards … [Read more...]
No more poisons for Stellies Uni
A green breakthrough happened at the University of Stellenbosch last week with Prof. Mohammed Karaan, dean of the Department of Agriscience, committing to stop the use of poison sprays in the university's vineyards. This decision was taken at a meeting between the Stellenbosch University and the steering committee of the newly formed pressure group called TATIB (The Air That … [Read more...]
Poison drift debilitates Boland residents
Poisonous sprays from farms drifting onto people, 'workers, children, family and neighbours' is finally coming to a head in the Boland. Numerous incidences of long-term, serious health problems, linked by doctors to the careless management of spray drift from surrounding farms mobilized the establishment of a special group in Stellenbosch, called TATIB (The Air That I … [Read more...]
