What lessons have we learned from Stillfontein?

Authors

  • Bruce Kadalie

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14426/na.v96i1.2783

Keywords:

Stillfontein, Artisinal mining, Small-scale mining, Mining, Disaster, South Africa, Lawyers for Human Rights

Abstract

The Stilfontein disaster, which claimed the lives of dozens of informal miners, has become a flashpoint for broader  debates about governance, human rights, and economic justice in South Africa. As noted by Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) the tragedy was not merely an accident but a "direct consequence of systemic neglect and the criminalisation of artisanal miners." The government's failure to address the dangers of abandoned mines and its punitive approach to artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) have exacerbated the vulnerabilities of marginalised communities.

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Published

03-04-2025 — Updated on 03-04-2025

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How to Cite

Kadalie, B. (2025). What lessons have we learned from Stillfontein?. New Agenda: South African Journal of Social and Economic Policy, 96(1). https://doi.org/10.14426/na.v96i1.2783

Issue

Section

Academic Articles