Mining companies and land rights in South Africa: how environmentalists have used the law to defend communities

Environmental activists in South Africa have been waging legal battles against the state and mining companies for years. This is often on the grounds that communities haven’t been consulted before mines were given permission to start digging and blasting on their land. Environmental justice researcher Mzingaye Brilliant Xaba has tracked the legal cases against mines since 2015. He analysed court rulings, research and media coverage. His research has found that environmentalists have managed to use lawsuits to firmly establish land rights. This means the state and industry will find it very difficult to launch mining projects without meaningful consultation with communities that will be affected.