STEALING LIMPOPO’S WATER: At the confluence of coal steel and sacred water

Catch the highlights from the explosive new episode on the Just Us & the Climate podcast channel exposing the planned plunder of Limpopo’s water for coal mining and dirty industry in the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone.

This podcast is profoundly important, a must-listen – affording a vivid insight into what economic colonialism means through the prism of water and why it’s urgent that the public exercise their democratic right to participate in the fundamental decisions being made about Limpopo's scarce water resources and their exploitation to support the development of a new coalfield and the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone industrial mega-project in the Vhembe Biosphere.

In this episode of Just Us & the Climate brought to you by the Climate Justice Coalition, show host, Robert Krause of the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS), a human rights organisation based at the University of Witwatersrand, explores with his guests, Mphatheleni Makaulule from Dzomo La Mupo and Lauren Liebenberg of Living Limpopo, the cultural, spiritual, ecological and economic significance of water for the vhaVenda people of Limpopo, the potentially devastating impacts of the MMSEZ and the large-scale expansion of coal mining on the region’s water resources, biodiversity and vulnerable communities, as well as the far-reaching implications for Limpopo’s water resources of the water 'Reserve determination' process that is underway.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

SHOW HOST, ROBERT KRAUSE

Centre for Applied Legal Studies

“The coal-fuelled MMSEZ is precipitating a multifaceted crisis – a crisis of destruction of cultures, of ecosystems, of water security for the communities in the area and in neighbouring countries, including Zimbabwe and Mozambique.”

“My guests, Mphatheleni of Dzomo La Mupo gives a vivid account of the socio-economic, cultural and religious significance of water, how it permeates everything in vhaVenda culture – and sounds a powerful warning of the threatened destruction of culture, religion and the very fabric of life in Vhembe if the MMSEZ and planned coal mines are allowed to go ahead.”

“While Mphathe brings home the reality of what economic colonialism really means, Living Limpopo’s Lauren Liebenberg stresses the urgent need for the public to exercise their democratic rights to participate in the profoundly important water governance decisions in progress – before it’s too late!”