Kabwe, Zambia, is one of the most polluted towns on the planet – 200,000 of its residents have lead poisoning caused by nearly a century of mining.
Oliver wants the industry to do better, and residents in mining communities want to decide how mines are run and how profits are used, as well as hold polluters accountable.
“If things do not change this time around, then I don’t think the Zambian people will allow it. If they don’t care, then they have no right to take the minerals,” he says.
Radio Workshop’s editorial director, Lesedi Mogoatlhe, says: “Oliver’s story speaks to the resilience of young people who have inherited the residue of bad mining practices.
“Youth in mining towns all over the African continent need to be at the centre of conversations about a sustainable future in mining as the world looks to mining transition minerals. Young people are asking for clear, meaningful involvement to ensure that the environmental and human rights abuses from mining are not repeated.” DM
https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/zambia-s-sacrifice-zone-a-legacy-of-toxic-mining/ar-AA1wlLkX
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