A chilly autumn wind whirled into the community hall as the people filed inside. Thabo was glad that he had Amahle’s support now. It was she who had convinced the community leader to call the meeting. It would be hard to convince people to take a stand against the mine-owners and managers. But he had to try.

The community leader banged the floor with his stick, bringing the hall to attention.

“Quiet everyone! Today we have here a young man from our village who is studying at the Wits University and is concerned about our water. We are gathered to hear what he has to say. May I introduce Mr Thabo Akani.

Thabo stood up and faced the audience. He recognised many faces, but they looked older and slightly more tired since the last time he visited. Thabo swallowed nervously and wiped his sweating hands on his jeans. These were his elders, people he loved and respected.

Who am I to tell them what do? thought Thabo. There was Tata Majola with his face a maze of wrinkles in the front row, glaring at him. Beside him was Mama Sara chatting with his cousin Busi. At least she looked friendly, with her wide smile and warm chocolate eyes.

“Well, are you just going to stand there?” hissed Amahle as Thabo stared out at the people gathered in front of him.

Thabo cleared his throat.

“Thank you all for coming. As many of you know, we have a problem with polluted water coming from the old abandoned mine shaft at the top of the river. What many of you don’t know is that my aunt died from cancer due to repeated exposure to this water. My brother has just been operated on for the same cancer. One of his friends is in hospital at the moment undergoing tests. We are all being affected by this water. You may not be sick now, but unless we do something you too will be ill soon. As you can see many of our crops and animals are dying. We can’t ignore this problem anymore.”

“How do you know they are sick because of the water? Maybe they are just sick!” one of the women in the front shouted, wagging a long bony finger.

“Yes, what proof do you have?” said another from the back of the hall.

“I’ve been doing my research in my university studies. My thesis is on this topic. It’s been scientifically proven that this type of cancer, as well as the unexplained deaths of our crops and some of our animals, is connected to AMD. That is ‘Acid Mine Drainage’ – where the mining poisons the water. Around the world, researchers are seeing the same problems where communities live close to old mines.”

There was a muttering around the hall.

One woman said crossly, “You people come here with your smart university education and tell us we can’t drink the water? Then you go back to your taps, running hot and cold at that university. And must we sit with no water?”

“Listen to what the young man is saying. It is true that many of us are getting sick,” the man beside her argued.

“If you need more evidence, I can prove that this water is poisoned. Whoever would like to come and see me test the water is welcome. I can go to the river tomorrow, take a sample of water, and send to a laboratory for testing.”

“And what if you are right, and the water is poisoned? Then what?!” shouted someone from the audience.

“We need to confront the mine owners to take responsibility to help clean this up,” replied Thabo.

“Are you going to confront Van Rensberg? Our boss? Thabo that guy won’t listen to us. He’ll just fire us. Get rid of us somehow. The mine feeds this community. Most of the men work there.”

Mutters rose in the room like music being suddenly turned up on a stereo.

“This is a public health issue,” replied Thabo over the voices. “We can’t ignore it because we are intimidated, scared by some boss.”

“But we’ll have a bigger issue! No jobs – if we confront him. If we ever complain about anything all he says is, ‘You don’t like it here, then go elsewhere. There are a hundred other people who can do your job!’”

“Yes!” the hall erupted as Tata Ujola mentioned job losses. Everyone started talking at once. Thabo looked at Amahle. This is what he had feared.

“You want us to lose our jobs?” one woman shouted accusingly. “You don’t even stay in this village any more. What do you know about what goes on here? You come with your high ideas from the what-what university!”

“I don’t want you to lose jobs,” Thabo said, trying to stay calm. Why couldn’t these people see what was happening here? “But people are dying!”

“Yes,” a woman said, turning around to face the women behind her who were still muttering. “If you are dead, you won’t have a job anyhow. If you are sick, you can’t get a job anymore. Then what are you going to do? Listen to this man. He is talking sense. My own husband is suffering with cancer now.”

“Who is he to tell us to fight the mine boss? He’s going to get some fancy job in a company when he leaves the university. But we, we have to stay here!” another person countered her in a loud voice.

“Exactly!” agreed another.

“So you are just going to sit back and watch your community get sick and die?” said Thabo, frustrated.

“Easy…” Amahle whispered. “You need to convince them, not make them angrier.”

Thabo took a deep breath. “We have rights, people. It’s our right to a clean, healthy environment. This is a public health issue.”

“So what must we do?” one man challenged him. “What must we do, Mr University?”

“We need to go to the mine boss, together. We need to go there and sit there and wait until he speaks to us.”

“Pah!” shouted a woman in the front, shaking her finger. “That guy’s only interested in his fat pay cheque. He does nothing here!”

“Then we’ve got to find someone who will help us.”

“Good luck to you!” shouted someone else.

“Me! Why me?” Thabo shouted, feeling his temper flare and heat rise in his face. “Why is this my problem alone? It’s not just my brother who is fighting for his life. Your children are getting cancer, and your lives being affected! You all live here. How can you do nothing?”

“Calm down,” whispered Amahle to him. “You’re not going to get them on your side if you shout at them.”

“We tried this when your aunt died. We went to the Department of Environmental Affairs, spoke to several people there,” said a quiet voice. “But no-one really listened. They did nothing.”

“Well it’s time to try again. Can I have a vote of hands? Who will support me in speaking to the authorities?”

Amahle put up her hand and two others edged upwards.

“I don’t believe this! You’d rather drink, wash and use this water and die, than take a stand?”

“We just don’t believe talking to the bosses will change anything,” said a man.

“And what if your child gets sick?” said Thabo. “Or your husband, or your wife?” He looked around him. “Are you going to do … nothing?”

For the first time the whole evening the hall remained silent. Then the community leader stood up.

“Those of you who want to come with me to see for yourselves if this water is poisoned, we will go with this young man to the river tomorrow. For now, the meeting is adjourned.”

People put on their jackets and shuffled out of the hall. Thabo slumped into a chair and buried his head in hands.

“Come, Thabo,” said Amahle gently, putting her hand on his back. “I think you need some fresh air. Let’s go for a walk. Perhaps tomorrow you can convince them. How are you going to test the water anyway? ”

“I brought a water test kit with me. Water-testing is part of my research. Then I’ll get the sample couriered to a lab in Joburg. It will take only a couple of days to get the results.”

* * *

Tell us what you think: Will the mine bosses listen to Thabo?