Large volumes of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons are produced annually for a variety of industrial and commercial uses. They therefore constitute common contaminants of soil and groundwater causing serious environmental and human health problems. In this study, three bacteria were isolated from a pulp mill wastewater effluent in South Africa by culture enrichment technique and characterized for their ability to degrade 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCE) and 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-DCP). Specific growth rate constants of the organisms ranged between $0.864{sim}1.094;and;0.530{sim}0.585d^{-1}$ in 1,2-DCE and 1,3-DCP, respectively, while the degradation rate constant of the compounds ranged variously between 0.33 and $1.006d^{-1}$, with 1,2-DCE generally better utilized than 1,3-DCP. Gas chromatographic analysis revealed up to 75 and 80% removal of 1,2-DCE and 1,3-DCP, respectively, above that observed in the control bottles. These organisms also demonstrated high haloalkane dehalogenase activities with specific dehalogenase activities ranging between $0.25{sim}0.31U(mg;protein)^{-1}$. Analysis of their 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that they belong to the genera Paenibacillus, Bacillus, and Microbacterium.