South Africa: The High Court has ruled that the exploration rights granted to Impact Africa and Shell along the Wild Coast were unlawful. The court has put a stop to the seismic survey along the Wild Coast.
Mining
Africans rising Meet 2022 Goldman Environmental Prize Winner Chima Williams
Environmental lawyer Chima Williams worked with two communities to hold Royal Dutch Shell accountable for disastrous oil spills in Nigeria. The organisation is now open to legal action from communities across Nigeria devastated by their disregard for environmental safety.
Politics and Society Op-Ed | Coal and Nuclear are “Weapons of mass destruction”
Every year, Coal is responsible for over 800,000 premature deaths globally but despite its devastating impact on the environment and human life, we seem less and less concerned about lives lost yearly.
Politics and Society Resource-curse — Opaque mining deals in Malawi
Lack of implementation of mining laws has created a lacuna for foreign companies to exploit mineral resources illegally and unsustainably, violate the rights of communities, destroy the environment, and devalue Malawi’s potential for growth.
Africans rising Women goldminers are smashing male dominance in the industry
Mining could be an enormous source of income for African women as even in lesser positions it pays better than other available work. However, women are barred from access to mining work due to restrictive cultural norms, taboos and gender discriminatory ideologies.
Politics and Society Zimbabwe: Oil exploration shows positive sign of “discovery and development”
Australian exploration company, Invictus Energy, has refuted media reports of the discovery of oil and gas deposits in Zimbabwe. The company said “oil or gas discovery has not been made” but there’s evidence of “undiscovered accumulations which have both a risk of discovery and a risk of development”.
Politics and Society Sierra Leone pastor unearths one of the world’s largest diamonds
A pastor in Sierra Leone has unearthed one of the world largest diamonds in the district of Kono. The uncut diamond weighing 706 carats is the biggest diamond to be found in more than four decades in this West African country. The president of the country assured the community, where the gem was discovered that proceeds from the sale will benefit the community, and country. In 2015, an 813 carat diamond was discovered in Botswana by Canadian company Lucara. The diamond shattered records, fetching a massive U.S.$63 million, the highest price ever achieved for a rough diamond.
Politics and Society From Undemocratic Laws to Violence: How South Africa’s Mine-Hosting Communities Are Silenced
From undemocratic laws to violence, Brendan Boyle explores how South Africa’s mine-hosting communities continue to be silenced by mining companies operating in the country’s former homelands.
Politics and Society Silicosis: Laduuuma! But who moved the goalposts?
The chief executives of the gold mines who are appealing against the historic silicosis judgement are extremely rich and globally powerful men, and what they say and do will have a major impact on who bears the cost of this disease, writes Pete Lewis.