'Toxic' farmers warned

2007-03-26 13:02

Zinkie Sithole

Tzaneen - South Africa's largest farming association, Agri SA, has pledged to publicly act against any farmers who are misusing pesticides or otherwise endangering neighbours through toxic pollution.

The warning follows reports that widespread pesticide poisoning around Groblersdal, Limpopo, may be responsible for teenage boys growing breasts, as well as increased incidents of cancer, miscarriages, ear infections, and partial facial paralysis.

The suspected poisoning was exposed by respected local Groblersdal physician, Dr Johan Minnaar, and is being investigated by a high level national agriculture department task team.

"Government officials visited the area last week, and reviewed medical case studies of various physical abnormalities, including cases where one girl of just five-years has grown breasts," says local physician, Dr Johan Minnaar.

"(They) also looked at cases where teenage boys developed temporary breasts during [pesticide] spraying season."

Dr Minnaar believes that the unregulated use of toxic and cancer-causing pesticides is causing a massive increase in developmental abnormalities and related ailments.

The poisoning is also causing milder symptoms, he says, including depression, asthma, migraines, and dizziness.

"Many of the symptoms peak during the pesticide spraying season, and there appear to be more victims among people living or working on the farms that use these chemicals, and at schools that are surrounded by orchards," explains Dr Minnaar.

The Limpopo chapter chairperson of Agri SA, Philie van Zyl, said this week that the allegations were extremely serious and that anyone found to be endangering the public should immediately be charged and prosecuted.

"As a farmers' union, we will not protect or defend anyone who abuses pesticides or who fails to take the proper precautions when spraying their fields," said Van Zyl.

'If there is hard evidence, let's name and shame...'

"In fact, if they are Agri SA members, we will take action against them."

Van Zyl warned, however, that it was extremely dangerous to condemn all local farmers as poisoners.

"That would be grossly irresponsible, and could permanently damage farmers' reputation. We need to be very clear about exactly who is being accused of what. If there is hard evidence, let's name and shame the guilty parties," says Van Zyl.

Dr Minnaar's strongest physical evidence so far are samples and records of his own family's blood, proving that they had been exposed to organophosphates and carbamates - both of which are key agents in pesticides used locally.

No direct research has been done on the extent or affect of pesticides in the Groblersdal area, but University of Cape Town professor Leslie London has studied the linked between aerial organophosphate spraying in the Northern Cape and the incidence of neurological disorders such as Guillaume Barre Syndrome.

"Aerial spraying is a problem for rural towns that rely on intensive commercial agriculture, because current regulations and safety standards don't offer proper protection," says Professor London.

Dr Minnaar agrees and stresses that international studies in Mexico and elsewhere have proven that pesticide poisoning could lead to the early puberty and premature development of breasts in girls as young as five years old.

"Let's hope that this new government investigation into the situation here in Groblersdal will get somewhere," says Dr Minnaar.

The government task team is headed by the agriculture department's national chief inspector Gift Moncho.

The government will also be convening a stakeholder meeting in Groblersdal to publicly discuss the issue on April 17.

- African Eye