“We Know Our Lives Are in Danger” Environment of Fear in South Africa’s Mining-Affected Communities

The report documents a pervasive 'environment of fear' in South Africa's mining communities, where activists face physical attacks, death threats, and state-led harassment. It details how local municipalities impose extra-legal restrictions on protests, police use excessive force and arbitrary arrests, and mining companies employ SLAPP suits and social media campaigns to silence opposition. The document argues that these actions violate South African constitutional and international human rights obligations regarding freedom of expression, assembly, and the right to a healthy environment.

• Community activists in mining areas have faced severe violence, including the 2016 killing of Sikhosiphi “Bazooka” Rhadebe, chairperson of the Amadiba Crisis Committee, and ongoing death threats against other leaders like Nonhle Mbuthuma.
• Local municipalities frequently impose extra-legal requirements on protest organizers that have no basis in the Regulation of Gatherings Act, such as requiring prior 'approval' or proof of engagement with the mining company.
• South African police exhibit a pattern of misconduct during mining-related protests, utilizing excessive force—including teargas and rubber bullets—and conducting arbitrary arrests on baseless charges.
• Mining companies use 'Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation' (SLAPP) suits and social media harassment to intimidate and silence critics, as seen in the defamation suits brought by Mineral Sand Resources (MSR) and Mineral Commodities Limited (MCL).
• Mining activities in South Africa cause significant environmental and health damage, including the pollution of the Olifants River with toxic levels of mercury and arsenic, and high rates of silicosis and tuberculosis among miners.
• Traditional authorities sometimes unlawfully consent to mining on behalf of communities without consultation and may actively suppress opposition by banning activists from community meetings.
• The South African government fails to adequately enforce environmental standards and lacks transparency, often requiring a flawed access-to-information process for communities to obtain basic mining permits and authorizations.
• Women activists are specifically targeted for harassment and threats, often because they are the first to experience the harms of mining and serve as primary caregivers for their families.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). “We Know Our Lives Are in Danger” Environment of Fear in South Africa’s Mining-Affected Communities. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/CER-gW-HRW-EJ-Report-on-EDs-16.4.2019.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. “We Know Our Lives Are in Danger” Environment of Fear in South Africa’s Mining-Affected Communities. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/CER-gW-HRW-EJ-Report-on-EDs-16.4.2019.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=“We Know Our Lives Are in Danger” Environment of Fear in South Africa’s Mining-Affected Communities |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/CER-gW-HRW-EJ-Report-on-EDs-16.4.2019.pdf?x21779 |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centreforenvironmentalrightsndknow, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{“We Know Our Lives Are in Danger” Environment of Fear in South Africa’s Mining-Affected Communities}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/CER-gW-HRW-EJ-Report-on-EDs-16.4.2019.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }