The Bliss of Ignorance screened
Recently Highveld Environmental Justice Network (HEJN) invited the community to a pre-screening of the 30 minute documentary discussing the coal industry and the impact coal extraction and combustion has on the health of those living within the region.
A new documentary titled, ‘The Bliss of Ignorance’ looks at the impact of South Africa’s energy policy, particularly the support for Eskom, the state’s energy utility’s reliance on coal-fired power stations on public health.
These screenings are supported by groundWork, an environmental justice non-profit organisation working throughout South Africa and in Africa. The documentary was developed in association with HEJN, groundWork and Friends of the Earth International. HEJN and groundWork hosted the screenings and is followed by a facilitated discussion. The screenings took place in different areas.
Megan Lewis, media and communications campaigner groundWork, Friends of the Earth South Africa said that the screenings are part of a broader coal and health awareness campaign, of which the targeted messaging on billboards are a part.
“In eMalahleni, there are also the same billboards around the city in English and isiZulu. A point of concern (that was drawn out from the documentary) for many members of the community was around the lack of access to clean water and what this means for their health. One community member, who preferred to remain anonymous, explained that they feel like they are foreigners in their own land. She said: “The government is not listening to us. Our children are sick and nothing is done about it. The government knows about the undrinkable water in the Highveld area but is failing to clean it.”
Dumisani Masina, executive committee member of the Highveld Environmental Justice Network (HEJN) and local eMalahleni resident explains “With regards to ill health in general, people are quite despondent as they feel that the healthcare system does not lend itself to solving the root cause of the problem. Even if their family members go to the hospital, they remain in a polluted environment and so continuously fall ill. It is necessary for people living in such a polluted area to in the short term get access to proper healthcare services and for government to begin actively changing energy production from coal to renewable sources of electricity.”
According to Robby Mokgalaka, Coal Campaigner at environmental justice NGO groundWork, “Due to the high prevalence of pollution from coal burning and related infrastructure in the Highveld, many people suffer with respiratory diseases, such as sinusitis and asthma. Such symptoms are common and therefore, seen as normal. This needs to be challenged as people have a constitutional right to an environment which is not harmful to their health. We urge people to see doctors who can diagnose them correctly, and for doctors to become more aware of the environmental health links.”
People can watch the trailer today and the full documentary in either isiZulu or English on 27 July, visit
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For more information please contact Megan at: 083 450 5541, Highveld Environmental Justice Network Emalahleni/Witbank – Nomcebo Makhubelo: 072 120 1626, Dumisane Masina: 084 258 8198
Pamphlets are also available in English and IsiZulu.
