Radioactive ruin

Radioactive ruin

South Africa’s uranium reserves will make a few individuals rich and the majority of South Africans poorer — through radioactive pollution.

When uranium mines that are planned for Beaufort West, Klerksdorp and the Magaliesberg farming regions leach into dams and water systems, agricultural produce and animals will begin to die off.

Uranium mines will contaminate large areas and contribute to cancers in residents near the mines or those who consume the water.

Dust inhalation from uranium mines is secondary only to the tobacco industry for causing lung cancer.

So, if the government goes ahead with uranium mining and building nuclear reactors, the population might as well go ahead and start chain-smoking. The result will be the same.

— Ingela Richardson