SOUTH AFRICA
An us7owned vanadi'u'm mine in Vametco in tfie North West province seems to be doing a repeat of the Bhopal gas tragedy. Inhabitants of the villages of Mothutlung which has a population of around 12,000, and Rankhotea which has a population of about 2,000, have called for an open debate on the issue. Apparently, workers are dying, and children and old people are falling ill due to Ipoisoned' underground water and mine dust blowing into their homes. Workers at the mine have also complained of chest problems and coughing, with many of them having blue-green tongues associated with vanadium poisoning. Workers, who s howed symptoms of vanadium poisoning were sacked or given early retirement on some pretext. Families of those workers who had died of poisoning are demanding compensation.
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