Activists protest at Mining Indaba
Groups demand accountability for mining harms
Activists from the Alternative Mining Indaba staged a protest outside the main Mining Indaba conference in Cape Town, pressing governments and mining companies to address environmental and social harms suffered by communities affected by mineral extraction. The demonstrators—many from mining regions across Africa, including Zambia’s Copperbelt—argued that the annual investor-focused gathering routinely ignores pollution, land degradation, displacement and health impacts experienced by local populations.
Speakers at the rally called for tighter regulation, independent monitoring, transparent testing and greater accountability from both mining firms and licensing governments. Esther Nkowani, a resident from Kitwe, described alleged contamination by Sino Metals and visible effects on her health and hygiene, demanding transparency in environmental testing. Organizers said the protest was timed to bring community grievances to the attention of high-level delegates and investors attending the conference.
Protesters carried banners, chanted slogans and urged fair compensation for displaced communities, stronger enforcement of environmental impact assessments, and better protection for workers’ rights and wages. Police maintained a visible presence, erecting barriers and slowing traffic; authorities reported no major incidents after brief tensions when some protesters tried to approach the conference entrance.
Conference organizers noted that sessions include sustainability and responsible-mining discussions and argued the sector can support economic development and the energy transition when properly managed. Activists countered that benefits are often unevenly distributed and environmental costs severe, and they urged delegates to include affected communities in decision-making and ensure revenue transparency.
