South African farmers warned over pesticides

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 Groblersdal physician, Dr. Johan Minnaar, and is being investigated by a high level national agriculture department task team.

"Government officials visited the area and reviewed medical case studies of various physical abnormalities, including cases where one girl of just five-years has grown breasts," said Minnaar. "They also looked at cases where teenage boys developed temporary breasts during pesticide spraying season." He 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 Minnaar. "Let's hope that this new government investigation will get somewhere," he said.

The Limpopo province 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.

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," he said.

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.

News24