| Mon 31 Mar 2008, 15:35 | | AMS - Anglo Platinum Issues Detailed Rebuttal Of Actionaid Claims |
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AMS AMSP
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AMS - Anglo Platinum Issues Detailed Rebuttal Of Actionaid Claims
Anglo Platinum Limited
Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa
Registration number: 1946/022452/06
JSE ordinary share code: AMS
ISIN: ZAE000013181
JSE preference share code: AMSP
ISIN: ZAE000054474
("Anglo Platinum")
ANGLO PLATINUM ISSUES DETAILED REBUTTAL OF ACTIONAID CLAIMS
Anglo Platinum has come out fighting after the unwarranted attack on its
integrity last week by International non-governmental organization ActionAid.
ActionAid labelled as "forced removals" the company`s eight-year consultations
and signed relocation agreements with families that had to be re-settled to
facilitate the expansion of its mining operations in South Africa`s Limpopo
Province.
In reply the company has now issued its own report, The Real Facts, which
answers each accusation, each factual inaccuracy and error, item by item. This
action, the company says, is necessary because "the ActionAid report is
extremely one-sided and contains so many inaccuracies and distorts the facts,
that we are compelled to set the record straight and give staff, customers,
suppliers, shareholders and society at large the chance to decide whether we are
acting responsibly or not," Mary-Jane Morifi, Anglo Platinum`s executive head of
Corporate Affairs, said today.
"We have compiled this document from material already put in the public domain.
The facts are out there. ActionAid, for its own motives has chosen to
selectively interview a very small number of disaffected individuals and
families and to present their views as those of the satisfied majority that make
up the communities adjacent to our mines".
"We are proud to be among the mining industry`s leaders in seeking to improve
the developmental impacts of our operations and we resent this gratuitous attack
on our integrity. If there are issues of which we have not been made aware, we
are, as we have always been, open to discussion"
"Our efforts are recognized by awards such as the Nedbank Green Mining Award,
the Mail and Guardian Investing in the Future Awards and the Govan Mbeki Housing
Award for our low and middle income housing projects", she said.
"What is more, we are on the ground, helping to grow the economy of South
Africa, contributing billions in tax to a duly elected democratic government. We
are ready and willing to work in partnership with government, communities and
NGO structures that are truly committed to development. Anglo Platinum is
committed to being a world leader in platinum, we are driven and informed by
good corporate citizenship and strong values", she said.
Johannesburg
31 March 2008
Notes to editors
ActionAid, an international anti-poverty agency, released a report on 26/3/2008
entitled "Precious Metal - The impact of Anglo Platinum on poor communities in
Limpopo, South Africa. In it, seriously flawed allegations are made which, in
the interests of truth, demand correction
ActionAid`s report is extremely one-sided, contains so many inaccuracies and
distortions of the facts that it is necessary to set the record straight and to
give our staff, customers, suppliers, shareholders and society the chance to
decide whether Anglo Platinum is acting responsibly or not.
How ActionAid selected their research sample, what their research methodology
and approach was is unclear, but it appears that only a few interviews were held
with select members of the community -- those we already know are dissatisfied
and who represent a very small proportion of the more than 200 000 people that
make up the communities adjacent to our mines. There is no evidence of any
attempt to obtain the views of the more than 84% members of the community who
have already relocated. The other remaining families are waiting their homes to
be completed. The patent biasness displayed in the report including the lack of
any effort to even contact the community legal representatives is baffling
beyond belief.
Significantly (and without explanation) the report also omits information on
Anglo Platinum`s other operations in the Limpopo Province, and particularly the
two biggest - Amandelbult and Union mine.
Mining activities anywhere in the world have both positive and negative socio-
economic impacts on adjacent communities. Anglo Platinum has many governance
processes, management systems and reviews to ensure that the positive impacts
are maximized and the negative impacts avoided or minimized. These processes and
structures are not secret and published in our 2007 sustainable development
report, a full electronic copy of which is available at www.angloplatinum.com.
That we sometimes make mistakes despite these processes does not negate our
strong commitment to making a positive difference to the communities in which we
operate the great majority of whom support mining and the opportunities it
creates. At the same time, we have realized that we cannot please every
individual member and faction.
Added to opportunities we create and the tax revenues we generate, we are among
the mining industry`s leaders in seeking to improve the developmental impacts of
our operations. We have done this through initiatives like pre-employment
training to enable people to seek jobs, local enterprise development,
sustainable livelihoods initiatives and local procurement drives. This is in
addition to our normal social investment and infrastructure development.
Our efforts are recognized by awards such as the Nedbank Green Mining Award, the
Mail and Guardian Investing in the Future Awards and the Govan Mbeki Housing
Award for our low and middle income housing projects. There is not even a
fleeting reference in the report of the endorsements of the relocation process
by reputable institutions like the SACC, NCOP, the premiers` office and various
government departments.
A detailed response to ActionAid`s allegations that we are breaching the
communities` human rights by preventing access to land and water is included in
the main body of this report.
Issued by Mary Jane Morifi
Corporate Affairs Department
Tel: (011) 373-6638
Cell: 083 270 1784
Copies of "The Real Facts, Anglo Platinum`s response to Action Aid" can be
obtained from Rene Klein on
011 373 6638 or rklein@angloplat.com. The document can also be downloaded from
www.angloplatinum.com
Date: 31/03/2008 15:35:50 Produced by the JSE SENS Department.
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