"ArcelorMittal and environmental groups battle it out in court", 7 Nov 2014

…In 2011, the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance (VEJA) asked ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steel producer, for its Environmental Master Plan…According to VEJA the environmental master plan is needed to see how ArcelorMittal would “rehabilitate pollution at its Vanderbijlpark site”…In 2012, VEJA asked for further records from ArcelorMittal, this time relating to…[alleged] “illegal dumping of hazardous waste” at the company’s disposal site in Vereeniging. ArcelorMittal refused to provide these documents…The matter went to the South Gauteng High Court, and in September last year, the judge ruled that the company had to provide the documents…ArcelorMittal appealed the judgment and yesterday the matter was heard in the SCA [Supreme Court of Appeal]…and [a judgment] is expected before the end of the year…At issue is whether civil society organisations, including what are known as fenceline communities can compel companies to provide documents they need to enforce their rights…Melissa Fourie, an attorney for the Centre for Environmental Rights which represents VEJA wrote…that…“VEJA want the SCA to confirm that civil society organisations have the right to access records they require to assert their right to an environment not harmful to health or well-being…”…