Share

‘Cancer-causing’ cop sprays

accreditation
(iStock)
(iStock)

Lawyers for environmental and community groups in the Transkei have threatened to take the police to court if they go ahead with their annual helicopter raids to spray dagga plantations with alleged cancer-causing chemical defoliants next month.

The spraying operations are carried out by the SA Police Service (SAPS) Air Wing, which uses glyphosate-based herbicides to spray plantations in the country’s “cannabis capitals”, Port St Johns and Lusikisiki.

In recent years, nongovernmental organisations and community organisations have protested against the spraying, which critics say threatens the health of villagers and destroys staple crops such as maize, which are grown for food and income.

In a letter to the SAPS on January 7, lawyers for an alliance involving the Transkei Animal Welfare Initiative, the Amapondo Children’s Project and pro-cannabis organisation Field of Green For All, said they would go to court if spraying took place without proper research into the environmental impact of the chemicals.

The World Health Organisation last year classified glyphosate as a Grade 2A carcinogen, which “probably” causes cancer.

In Colombia, where coca plants used in cocaine production used to be sprayed, glyphosate use was stopped last year because of health concerns. Several UN conventions now consider the wide spraying of harmful chemicals a human rights violation.

The spraying, South African lawyers say, violates the Constitution. They claim the police’s aerial teams have previously not warned communities they were planning to spray, so that they could avoid harm.

They have asked for a written breakdown of what steps are being taken to comply with health regulations, as well as a written undertaking by the end of the week that operations will not take place next month.

This week, the police responded and said they would try to provide the necessary information once a key official involved in the operation returned from sick leave.

The anti-spraying alliance has set up a website, posting interviews with residents from affected villages about the impact on them, their crops and their livestock.

Eastern Cape agriculture MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane said his department’s soil scientists would test the soil in the sprayed areas to find out what damage, if any, was being done to the environment.

“As of now, we cannot pass judgement,” he said.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Do you believe that the various planned marches against load shedding will prompt government to bring solutions and resolve the power crisis?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes
21% - 103 votes
No
79% - 394 votes
Vote