CHRISTIAN FIGENSCHOU, Johannesburg | Thursday 9.30pm.
A PAIR of advisers to two former British Conservative Party prime ministers are orchestrating a campaign aimed at undermining thousands of claims being brought against a British company by sick South African asbestos workers.
The Independent reports on Thursday that Charles Lewington and Wilf Weeks are advising Cape plc, which is fighting the claims, to whip up public anger about foreigners claiming legal aid to fight for their rights in an English court.
Weeks, chairman of lobbyists GJW Government Relations, is the foirmer head of Edward Heath’s private office. Lewington heads public realtions company Media Strategy, and was head of communications during John Major’s premiership.
The Independent claims the pair intend to put pressure on the British Lord Chancellor to stymie the legal aid application by using a “right-wing newspaper to encourage public outrage over the cost to the taxpayer of 1 900 claims made against Cape in the past week”.
In response, the claimants’ legal representative Richard Meeran noted that Cape has settled hundreds of claims by British workers, but has never defended a case on liability. Meeran said that in order for the claimants to have a fair chance against the multinational, they require proper legal representation. He said their action should be paid for by British taxpayers because, “for decades, they were exploited by British companies who reaped the assets of their homeland and transported it to create wealth in Britain, leaving them nothing except terrible illness”.
Meanwhile, a criminal case against American company Borden Chemicals and Plastics for allegedly shipping toxic mercury waste to South Africa has been extended until next week, following appeals by a coalition of South African and international environmental groups.
It is alleged that between 1991 and 1994, Borden shipped more than 2500 drums of waste containing mercury to the Thor Chemicals plant in Cato Ridge for “recycling”. However, the waste was apparently stockpiled instead of being processed, causing a threat to workers and the environment. The barrels are now leaking, releasing dangerous toxins into the soil and a nearby river.