In this week’s post, Thato Gaffane reflects on the Stilfontein tragedy, which resulted in the deaths of more than 80 miners, as well as the deliberate starvation and dehydration of many others at Buffelsfontein Gold Mine (BGM) in Stilfontein, North West. Gaffane highlights that this unfortunate incident was caused by improper mine closure, despite the existence of a legal framework that imposes clear and enforceable duties to plan, fund, and implement mine closure.

In this post, Anoussa Salim examines whether the DRC’s legal and regulatory frameworks on child labour align with humanitarian law standards. She argues that while the DRC has a strong legal framework, poor enforcement, driven by poverty, corruption, and weak oversight, undermines its effectiveness. The post calls for a holistic strategy that includes law enforcement, socioeconomic reform, and greater corporate accountability.

In this week’s article, Ropafadzo Maphosa and Thato Gaffane examine the effects of mine closures in the SADC region. The article underscores the negligence of mining companies towards communities and the environment. Based on their 2024 report commissioned by Lawyers for Human Rights and Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, the authors call for better regional policies, improved legislation, effective environmental management, and greater community involvement to mitigate adverse impacts and ensure sustainable development.