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Residents face risks

UNSAFE: DA's Jack Bloom
UNSAFE: DA's Jack Bloom

"I saw children playing in soil yellowed by radioactive uranium and other toxic metals.. This can lead to birth defects and brain disorders"

DA CAUCUS leader and health spokesman in Gauteng Jack Bloom visited and spent a night at Tudor Shaft recently.

"I saw children playing in soil yellowed by radioactive uranium and other toxic metals from mine tailings. This can lead to birth defects and brain disorders.

"Other health risks include polluted air from the mine dumps, poor sanitation and rats running around uncollected rubbish," Bloom said.

"People in informal settlements in unsafe areas like Tudor Shaft must be relocated speedily.

"If this is not done, clinics and hospitals will be flooded with people suffering from preventable diseases."

Greenpeace senior campaigner on climate and energy Dr Rianne Teule has been vocal on the Tudor Shaft matter.

She said residents were exposed to high levels of contamination.

The organisation's anti-nuclear campaigner Ferrial Adam said if residents of Tudor Shaft continued living in the area, their health would deteriorate.

"They have an increased chance of getting cancer and leukaemia.

"And if those people have food gardens, their food could be contaminated. They should not eat it," Adam said.

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