THE CLF is a monthly structured meeting with these objectives:
To engage on social and environmental issues;
To prioritise social and environmental concerns which affect the surrounding communities, and attempt to reach understanding and consensus on resolving them;
To receive and discuss reports from SAPREF on its social and environmental performance
The general approach is to find mutually acceptable solutions to these challenges through constructive discussion and debate.
Karthi Govender, an independent consultant,
facilitates one of the monthly meetings
of the Community Liaison Forum attended by community representatives, local authorities and SAPREF people.
Membership
The CLF is represented by bona fide, structured organisations and institutions from SAPREF's neighbouring
communities, i.e. Isipingo, Athlone Park, Amanzimtoti, Umlazi, Lamontville, Merebank/Merewent, Wentworth, Austerville and the Bluff (including Island View).
Among the members who attend regularly are:
Athlone Park Civic Association
Durban South Football Association
Bluff Peninsula Residents Association
Isipingo Island Institute
Merebank Residents Association
ISIPHO
Women of Wentworth
Crisis Careline
Ngizokusiza
Lamontville HIV Resource Centre
South Council Association
Senzakwenzeke Co-Operative
Settlers Primary School
Austerville Ratepayers and Residents Association
Merebank Community Centre
Restoration Community Projects
Representatives from the local authority and members of Team SAPREF also attend these meetings.
Some of the subjects that have been discussed at the CLF meetings include:
The progress of the South Durban Multi-Point Plan; Siva Chetty, the project manager of the Multi-Point Plan, made a presentation to the CLF in this regard.
The results of the pipeline study and SAPREF's commitment to upgrading the lines
Employment opportunities for local communities during the shutdown and on the LION project
Black Economic Empowerment
Merebank Residents Association
SAPREF's operational performance
There have also been initiatives to facilitate better mutual understanding between the stakeholders in the CLF and develop partnerships
between organisations. SAPREF hosted the members on a tour of its facilities in July 2004 and in September the CLF went on a tour of SAPREF's neighbouring communities.
The tour covered the areas of Isipingo, Malukazi (in Umlazi), Wentworth, Merebank and the Bluff, and representatives from these areas took turns in highlighting the challenges
faced by the people in the respective areas.
After a CLF workshop on 5 August 2004, the following topics were agreed as priority areas for discussion at future meetings:
Social Issues
Poverty
HIV/AIDS
Crime
Alcoholism/drug abuse
Community development
A task team was formed to come up with ideas for specific social initiatives on which the CLF could focus.
Environmental Projects
Pollution/emissions
Managing complaints
Environmental education
Nature conservation
Permitting process
Pipeline performance
Greening SAPREF
Future environmental initiatives
CLF Task Teams
The CLF has two task teams mandated to deal with the social and environmental issues:
Some members of the CLF sit in on environmental report-back meetings where data such as MPP readings, emissions from the refinery and other environmental information is tabled.
The social task team was formed to come up with ideas for specific social initiatives on which the CLF could focus. Some of the projects identified have included poverty alleviation by growing food in tunnels
and a soccer development programme.
Sniffer bakkie for South Durban.
Members of SAPREF and the CLF with the new air monitoring vehicle.
AIR quality in South Durban has been given a boost with the addition of a new mobile air sampler. The sampler, which is an idea borne out of the SAPREF CLF's environmental task team, will see the easy detection
of odours in South Durban via the new mobile air monitor.
An open path air sampler and an accompanying laptop computer will be fitted into the dedicated vehicle and operated by SAPREF's Health, Safety and Environment Department with support from the Complaints Standby team to measure ambient air quality in South Durban.
The sampler is capable of detecting a range of pollutants, including those of non-SAPREF origin which are also present in the area.
The equipment will be applied to wider use in the South Durban Basin where this is of value to SAPREF. This will ensure that SAPREF has its own information about ambient impacts, for example to the south, in addition to the Multi-Point Plan air quality network.
The dedicated vehicle provides mobility, ease of set-up and security for the valuable equipment.
The vehicle will display the CLF logo and personalised number plates, saying "SNIFFER".
The duration of the project is anticipated to be 24 months.
Nine become soccer coaches
NINE individuals from different South Durban communities were recently inducted as coaches as part of the Soccer Development Programme initiated by SAPREF's Community Liaison Forum.
The young men who participated in a rigorous three-day training regime conducted by Patrick Moodley of the South African Football Association (SAFA) are now qualified to coach learners from the primary schools which were selected by the soccer development task team to be part of this programme.
The primary schools participating
are Dirkie Uys Primary School (Bluff), Auster-ville Primary School (Austerville), Wentworth Primary School (Wentworth), Settlers Pri-mary School (Merebank), Nizam Road Primary School (Merebank), Embokodweni Primary School (Ezimbokodweni), Isipingo Primary School (Isipingo Hills), Bantu Vukani Primary School (Lamontville), Buyani Primary School (Umlazi).
The Soccer Development Programme initiative is aimed at unearthing and capitalising on soccer talent in South Durban ahead of the 2010 World Cup. The refinery
has thrown its weight behind the programme by investing R200 000.
SAPREF MD Wayne Pearce (back, fourth from left), together with Patrick Moodley from SAFA (yellow jersey) and SAPREF Sustainable Development Manager Lora Rossler (seated in front), congratulate the nine individuals from different communities in South Durban who were awarded coach certificates after a comprehensive training regime by Patrick Moodley as part of the CLF's Soccer Development Programme.
Jomo Sibisi, co-ordinator of the committee, explains that the initiative
grew out of a suggestion made at a Community Liaison Forum meeting, and said it was a good example of how collaboration could deliver benefits to the community.
A small sub-group met to develop a proposal, and it was decided that participating schools would be chosen from areas in South Durban.
Primary schools in the surrounding communities were invited to send in entries motivating selection for the programme. An advert and application form was placed in community newspapers and the nine schools were subsequently selected for the pilot programme.
Amongst other things the programme has provided, is out-of-school coaching assistance to learners, provision of kit and accredited training of unemployed youth as coaches. Other areas to be covered include the importance of good sportsmanship, self- discipline and a healthy lifestyle. Sibisi said that leadership skills, improved academic performance, school management and improved school and self-image were part of the long-term objectives of the Soccer Development Programme.
Said sustainable development manager
Lora Rossler, "This initiative is bringing a range of benefits from the development of coaches and encouraging sport participation at primary school level to generating enthusiasm ahead of the 2010 World Cup."
Sibisi said a review of the pilot programme would help determine the ongoing development of the initiative in coming years.
Leaflet to help residents ID odours
A LEAFLET has been initiated by the environmental task team of the SAPREF Community Liaison Forum (CLF) to help South Durban residents
identify odours and their possible
causes. It lists odours as well as possible sources.
The leaflet also explains the process
when odours are reported to the eThekwini Health Department or to SAPREF.
The purpose of the leaflet is to give residents sufficient information to enable them to describe odours more accurately if they have complaints.
This will help the eThekwini Health Department or other industries
to better investigate and locate the sources of the odours
The leaflet has been distributed in letter boxes. Residents may also call Prudence Mbatha on (031) 480 1303 to request a copy.
Partnership achieves soccer dreams ahead of 2010
THE nine schools participating in the SAPREF Community Liaison Forum's Soccer Development Programme took part in a tournament at the Tara Road Grounds in Wentworth on 20 October.
Each team from the schools, namely Dirkie Uys Primary, Austerville Primary, Wentworth Primary, Settlers Primary, Nizam Road Primary, Embokodweni Primary, Isipingo Primary, Bantu Vukani Primary and Buyani Primary, got a chance to play and all teams received a trophy sponsored by the LION project from SAPREF MD Wayne Pearce.
CLF members were present in their numbers and an enjoyable time was had by all!
