We extend our thanks to the following government office bearers and members of civil society who in spite of heavy work schedules were willing to help to facilitate the process of our visit. In Cape Town, we thank MP Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and Marie Fritz, Secretary to Parliament. In the Northern Cape we are especially grateful to Minister Thabo Makweya and Seyathie Mitha of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Tourism for organising our visit to Kimberley and showing us such gracious hospitality. From the Department of Health we would like to acknowledge Mr Gopolang Sekobe, Chief Director Non-personal Health; Dr Lindiwe Ndelu, Director of the MBOD and Sister Mpho Mabogola of the Occupational Health Unit, Kimberley Hospital. At the Department of Labour (DOL) we thank Faiza Salie and Tim Curtis; and Hendrik Naude at the Department of Minerals and Energy (DME). We are especially grateful to the officials of the NUM, Peter Bailey and Fred Gona. We also thank officials in various government departments who made time for our interviews. Although they are anonymous in this report, we would like to acknowledge our significant debt to them.
We also thank the many people in the United States who helped us research asbestos and write this report: We are indebted to Agnes Kane of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Brown University for sharing her expertise on ARDs. We are also indebted to staff members of Brown University -- Donna Mitchell, Gail Goodness, Janice Wright, Yolanda Lamboy, and Carol Jackson - who gave logistical support to our research trip. The International Health Affinity Group of pre-medical students at Brown provided us with a survey of medical research on ARDs. We especially thank Peter Heywood of the Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry at Brown and John Trimbur of the Department of Humanities at Worcester Polytechnic Institute for their support during the entire project, for assistance during the research and for editing this report. We thank Anna Greene and Anniedi Essien for proofreading the report and Joe Winter for designing our web page. We are grateful to Lynn Carlson for making the map.
In South Africa, we benefited from the vital assistance and patience of the Industrial Health Research Group (IHRG) in Cape Town. Our thanks go to Nick Henwood, Marion May, Shirley Pettit, Ashraf Ryklief, and Nodu Nolokwe. We also thank Professor Jonny Myers, Chair of the Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care at the University of Cape Town (UCT), and Mohammed Jeebhay from the School of Public Health for his help in introducing us to the compensation system and in framing the project. Professor Tony Davies from the National Centre for Occupational Health (NCOH) was gracious in his sponsorship of Theo Luebke. Marianne Felix was very helpful during our visit to Johannesburg. We also thank Richard Spoor of Ntuli, Noble & Spoor in Nelspruit for providing Scott Bulcao and Lucia Trimbur with the opportunity to work in Kuruman.
We extend our deepest appreciation to Obert Mahlo, Chairperson of the CPAA for hosting us during our visit to Prieska. In like manner, we warmly thank Richard Aitken, Jane Argall and other staff members at the Kuruman Moffat Mission for collaborating with us during our research in Kuruman. We appreciate their help with making contacts in government offices and rural villages and for providing both living accommodations and workspace. We benefited greatly from their perspectives on local problems and possibilities for community development. We thank Jess Jones for organising or meeting with white ex-mineworkers and their family members. In Kuruman, we are especially grateful to the staff at Kuruman Asbestos Sufferers and to Edward Motlhabane, and other members of the Ncweng Asbestos Committee, for their openness to our work.
We also thank our wonderful interpreters in Kuruman: Stephen Kotoloane, Elizabeth Seameco, Malebogo Trok, and Collin Boikanyo.
Finally, we appreciate the generous support of our funders in the United States. Foremost, we thank Dr David Egilman of Brown University and the law firm of Baron and Budd of Dallas, Texas for their significant donation to our project. Their contribution underwrote South African and Malagasy participation and supplemented the research funding of the American students.
We also thank our sponsors from Brown, Yale, Rice and New York Universities:
-Brown University Royce Fellowship Programme for support to Kristen Erickson, Alice Kidder, Marc Manseau, and Katherine Saxton.
-The Watson Institute for the Luce Fellowship Programme awarded to Theo Luebke and Almea Matanock.
-The UTRA Programme at Brown for supporting Theo Luebke and Almea Matanock.
-Career Services at Brown for the Aided Internship Award to Marc Manseau, Almea Matanock and Katherine Saxton.
-The Brown University Dean of the College Office for additional money for student travel.
-The Dean of the Graduate School at Brown University for its grant for research expenses.
-The Brown University Dean of the Faculty for support to Lundy Braun and Nancy Jacobs during their trip to Kuruman.
-The Rice University Brotzen Summer Travel Award and the Janus Research Grant for support of Casey Roberts.
-The New York University School of Law for its award to Scott Bulcao.
-Yale Center for International and Area Studies for granting a Pre-Dissertation Mini Grant, and a Coca-Cola World Fund Fellowship to Lucia Trimbur.
-The Brown University/UCT Exchange for underwriting Lundy Braun's travel to Cape Town and accommodation there.
-Richard B. Salomon Faculty Research Award from Brown University for underwriting Nancy Jacobs's travel to Cape Town.