ENVIRONMENTAL groups representing communities affected by oil
giant Shells operations have launched a report that urges the
company to use its profits in repairing damage it has caused. The
report comes as the company prepares to announce its 2006
financial performance today.

The Durban South Basin community is one of nine communities
around the world that features in the report, which was launched
yesterday by the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance,
environmental justice group ground-Work, Friends of the Earth
South Africa and other groups.

The report, titled Use your profit to clean up your mess, offers
proposals and figures on how Shell should fund local solutions
for alleged environmental and social destruction caused by its
projects.

As part of the campaign, adverts calling on Shell to use its
profits to clean up its mess are appearing in British and Dutch
newspapers today. The company has its main offices in Britain and
The Netherlands.

Desmond DSa, spokesman for the environmental alliance, said
Durban communities wanted Shell to replace its old refmery and
pipelines in the city The existing ageing infrastructure means
that accidents and leakages happen on a regular basis. This means
the local community suffers from health problems and air
pollution. Construction, Engineering and Industrial Workers Union
Secretary-General Frank Alexander said Shells labour practices at
its refineries added to the injury toll in an already risky
environment by employing short-term contract staff, rather than
employing locals.

Short-term contracts did not allow workers to get a grasp of how
the refinery operated, increasing the risk of accidents, he said.