Erwin not against EIAs
Fiona Macleod’s “Mbeki joins assault on green laws” (August 4) and last week’s letter from Richard Worthington, “Too red to see green” — both critical of Minister of Public Enterprises Alec Erwin — are completely misleading.
Macleod implies that Erwin is against environmental impact assessments (EIAs). Nothing could be further from the truth.
The objective of the government’s programme of action is to update the public on progress in key projects. As co-chairperson of the Economic Cluster, Erwin reports information from cluster departments responsible for projects of the cluster’s programme of action.
Macleod claims that the Economic Cluster opposes the EIA process. This is inaccurate and misrepresents the cluster’s approach, which seeks to assist in the streamlining of the EIA process.
In this context, the media briefing on July 4 sought to clarify that the cluster is satisfied with progress, including the fact that the EIA process is running its course as required by legislation.
Most projects in the government’s programme have deadlines, the exception being ongoing activities. All projects, when providing timelines, take into consideration regulatory necessities.
The De Hoop Dam project is no exception. The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry has yet to provide an adjusted deadline for the project, and until new timelines are provided, the timeline for completion remains 2010.
Erwin was not circumventing the EIA process. He was reporting on the progress of a project that the Economic Cluster maintains is an important industrial development for the provision of basic services.
As for Worthington, he just doesn’t get it. Let me shed some light on some of his claims:
- Eskom flouts the White Paper on Energy Policy. South Africa requires new generating capacity, meaning different energy sources and technologies. The government has set the target of 10% of electricity generated from renewable energy by 2010. Renewable energy technologies are among the supply-side options being considered by Eskom, which has developed a renewable energy strategy that outlines a number of focus areas, including research and development, investigating investment and clean development mechanism opportunities, and regional considerations, such as the development of hydro resources. However, these cannot meet the new-generation capacity requirements.
- Massive expansion of coal use. South Africa will continue to use coal for electricity generation, but the government is committed to reducing the environmental impacts associated with it. Initiatives to reduce impacts include the investigation of coal bed methane and the implementation of clean coal technologies where applicable.
- A new nuclear power station is being commissioned without a feasibility study. Erwin’s comments about the construction of nuclear power stations indicate that, far from “being too red to see green”, he is in fact deeply concerned about the environment. He has a far better grasp of electricity technologies and economics than Worthington can begin to imagine.
Nuclear and hydro electricity are the only two cost-effective ways of providing base load electricity without carbon emissions. South Africa’s hydro potential, which was small to begin with, has already been exploited, leaving nuclear as the country’s only clean alternative to coal.
Although renewable energy sources do have a role to play in South Africa’s energy mix, it is very small, because renewable energy sources are unsuitable for the provision of base load electricity. Power stations using renewable sources of energy will lead to higher electricity prices, not the other way around. Renewable energy is a highly subsidised industry in every country where it is currently utilised. — Gaynor Kast, ministerial spokesperson, Department of Public Enterprises
Guns don’t take lives ‒ criminals do
With reference to “Women take aim at gun-control laws” (M&G Online, August 11), it is a pity these deluded women insist on perpetuating victimhood with minds filled with foolish beliefs at the instigation of South Africa’s foremost hate organisation, Gunfree SA.
It was not a gun that took the lives of their loved ones, but criminals the government has allowed to grow bold in the sure knowledge they will never be caught or punished.
If we disarm law-abiding citizens in the vain hope it will prevent crimes, only criminals will have guns. Gun ÂÂcontrol will not reduce crime. — P Moss, Pietermaritzburg
We’re all dead right
Listen to the rhetoric on both sides. For the Zionists, Israel is our land and we have the right to it. Hizbullah and Hamas want to destroy us. The world media is biased against us.
No matter how many new “terrorists” are created when families are killed in retaliation for “terrorism”, it is all for the greater good, so that Israel can prosper.
For Hamas and Hizbullah, the Zionists have stolen land we occupied for centuries and continually try to steal more. The world is silent on the atrocities they commit to achieve this.
There is unshakeable faith that any excess is justified in the cause. No matter how many new Israeli soldiers are created by suicide bombings, it is all for the greater good — to prevent Israel from walking over us.
Strange how alike these arguments are.
I want a free Palestinian people in a sovereign state, living in dignity — the birthright of every human. As for Israel, what has been done cannot be undone. No matter how bad the events of 1948 were, they cannot be retracted. We must press on.
By clinging to the belief that I am right, this dream can never be realised.
As a journalist, I believe the media’s duty is to call for sanity, rather than egging the Palestinian fighters on. We should be calling for pressure to be exerted on Israel to end the occupation, and for impartial (yes, including United States) arbitrators to step in and force both sides to seek an equitable solution.
Naturally, because of all the rhetoric and dredging up of the past, there will be festering distrust on both sides. But it is the only way out. — Saaleha E Bhamjee
Off your butts!
Angry words on radio
spewed forth not by men
feeling emasculated by
our constitution,
but by women, embittered
(and pale of face, to boot)
Women, women, women
complains one woman
too much woman-stuff
too much woman-speak
(she sounds almost man-like)
Get off your butts
moans another woman
too much marching
too much screaming
why don’t they work
instead of being
on the street?
So far we have come
So far we have to go
So much has changed
So much remains
So, get off your butts
women, women, women
Lest we all really have
something to scream about
— David Kapp, triggered by phone calls to SAfm on Women’s Day
Racism is real and rife
The M&G recently carried an article about racism at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s medical school. The truth is that racism exists both overtly and covertly.
When I arrived at the school in 2000, African students were complaining about racism. The complaints were reported to former dean Barry Kistnasamy, who refused to deal with them.
In 2004 we organised a racism indaba, but most academics decided not to attend. They were defensive and threatened to resign.
The investigation by Deloitte found that racism is not reported because of an “obvious fear of victimisation”. Its findings make the situation clear, despite the denials of sources and academics interviewed by the M&G.
Some claim they can’t be racist because they were involved in the struggle. Yet they voted with conservative groups against the appointment of Malegapuru Makgoba and wanted to bribe the SRC to vote with them.
After the report was released, some academics wanted the vice-chancellor to revoke it, as it implicated their cliques. He refused and was labelled an Africanist who hated Indians.
Last June, student counsellors reported that many students were experiencing severe stress because of how they were treated by the medical school academics. None of the academics in question organised a meeting to help students, as they did when the Deloitte report came out.
This is how they operate: they cover for each other and form cabals to marginalise others. They wrongly claim senior management acted on students’ perceptions. The decision to suspend people was based on a thorough consultative process; it was not knee-jerk, as they claim.
These individuals talk about declining standards because students are fighting for their rights. They should ask themselves whether they deserve to be professors or were promoted because they know people in the promotion committee. Were all the postgraduate degrees they awarded genuine or favours? The report finds some students who were caught cheating in exams were not punished. Is that because they were not African?
Most of the Indian staff and students are against discrimination, and some have experienced discrimination. An example is Mani Moodley of obstetrics, whose academic progress has been blocked by the old boys’ club despite his excellent research record and the fact that he is the only accredited gyaenecological oncologist in KwaZulu-Natal.– Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba, former SRC president, UKZN
We need action, not prayers
It is not just the Catholic Church that fails to confront its “cardinal sins” — the same can be said of the departments of social development and health, and the police, in Umtata.
My grandchild was raped in 2000 when she was two in the Bethany home for abandoned children in Umtata run by the Catholic Church.
Her alleged rapist, employed to look after the children, got off scot-free because the doctor at the hospital failed to do a DNA test. When I reported the doctor to the Health Professions Council, he told them the hospital laboratory had not done DNA tests for years.
I wrote to a Catholic bishop to ask if the Bethany home screened employees. He said he would pray for me and my grandchild; I wanted action to ensure the children were protected. The social development department in Bisho also promised my grandchild would receive counselling. This never happened. — AL, Port Elizabeth
On August 12 Archbishop Buti Tlhagale became president of the Southern African Bishops’ Conference, replacing Cardinal Wilfrid Napier. And at its plenary session at MariannÂÂhill, three black bishops were elected to head the conference for the first time.
The M&G should cover the steady progress in ensuring the Catholic leadership reflects church membership. — Fr Kevin Reynolds