As a young child in the 1960s, Martin lived on Koegas, a blue asbestos mine near the town of Prieska in the Northern Cape. His dad worked as a diesel mechanic for the British-based mining company, and was provided with family housing within the mine precinct. Martin spent much of his early childhood exploring the mine dumps with his older siblings. In those days, they had no idea that the asbestos dust they played in, constantly swept from their porch, and washed from their father’s overalls, was extremely toxic.
Martin would only begin to understand the true cost of his childhood at Koegas many decades later. In 1994, his brother passed away after being ill for some time. The autopsy revealed his cause of death as mesothelioma, a cancer of the tissue that lines the lungs, stomach, heart and other organs. In up to 9 out of 10 cases, mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos. When the microscopic fibres are breathed in, they can get lodged in the protective tissue (mesothelium) around the lungs and other organs, leading to inflammation and cancer. In most cases, patients only experience symptoms several decades after the patient came into contact with asbestos.
In Martin’s case, he only began to suspect that his health was impacted in 2018, more than fifty years after he left Koegas. At that time, he had been married to the love of his life, Melinda, for close to 30 years, with whom he shared three children and 6 grandchildren (his 6th grandchild was born only 10 months before his passing). Martin had recently founded his own security company with his son, drawing on his experience gained as an Officer in the Namibian Army and as a highly-respected leader in the South African Reserve Police Service.
As he had always been fit, capable of scaling walls to keep his clients safe, Melinda grew concerned when Martin suddenly started losing weight. At one point, he lost 8kg in just two weeks. He was also feeling fatigued and having trouble breathing. Melinda convinced him to see their GP, who ordered chest X-Rays. Having completed a National Diploma in Public Health while in the Army, Martin asked if he could look at the X-Rays himself and immediately noticed an abnormality on his right lung. He began to suspect that, like his older brother, he had developed mesothelioma. Unfortunately, it took more than a year before his suspicions were affirmed. After seeing several specialists at two different government hospitals and undergoing umpteen tests and procedures, Martin was finally diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in June 2020.
Martin was determined to face cancer head-on. The treatments were hard on him, and he had to resign from work, putting his family in a financial tight spot. But his loved ones rallied around him and supported him around the clock. While some of his medical needs were met by the state-funded health system, a cancer like mesothelioma carries many additional costs. By then, Martin and Melinda were in touch with the Glynnis Gale Foundation, a non-profit organisation that works to provide equitable access to quality care for all patients with mesothelioma. The Foundation provided Martin with palliative care and emotional support, as well as access to an oxygen machine and hospital bed at home.
Martin fought as hard as he could, but by 2021, his cancer was no longer responding to treatment. Martin and Melinda decided to take things day by day, and focus on small goals, like celebrating Christmas Eve together (a family tradition) and getting to his 60th birthday in February 2022. Martin defied the expectations of his healthcare providers on many occasions and his grandchildren had put the Christmas tree into Martin’s bedroom in order to celebrate together as a family. Tragically, Martin was rushed to hospice on the 23rd of December. The family spent Christmas Eve together at home and planned to visit Martin on Christmas Day. However, at 01h10 on the 25th, Melinda received the devastating call from the hospice: Martin had passed away. On the 30th, his children, grandchildren, family and friends gathered to honour the life of a man his daughter described as “monumental.”
The fight continues
Once a global leader in producing and exporting asbestos, South Africa’s last asbestos mine ceased production in 2001, but the damage will never be undone. Too many lives have been cut short, and families torn apart. And there are many people in the Northern Cape and other former asbestos mining areas who are living with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses, but have not yet received a diagnosis nor know where to get support.
One thing that’s particularly difficult for Martin’s loved ones to understand is how the managers of the mining company at Koegas could have turned a blind eye to the dangers facing their workers and communities. At Prieska, there was an asbestos mill set up in the centre of town that continually covered the nearby school, homes, streets and public spaces in asbestos dust. What’s even harder to swallow are the reports that a UK-based asbestos plant operated by a subsidiary of the same mining group was shut down in 1968 due to concerns about asbestos-related illnesses among staff. The Guardian reports that the company ceased operations at its Barking-based plant due to the high rate of asbestosis, yet their mines in South Africa remained open and continued to run for another decade, despite recording dust levels there were 30 times higher than those legally allowed in Britain.
Martin’s family are still overwhelmed with the pain of their loss. They are also struggling financially due to the high cost of mesothelioma care and loss of income. They are currently bringing a compensation claim against the mining company, with the help of Enviro Investigations.
If you or someone you know has mesothelioma or an asbestos-related illness due to exposure at work, through a family member who worked at an asbestos mine or mill, or from living in a former mining area, you can contact Enviro Investigations for more information on your rights to take legal action.