By Alice D. Kanengoni and Janet Zhou

As global demands for strategic minerals continue to rise, Southern Africa faces unprecedented pressure on its natural resources. The impacts of intensifying extraction, coupled with weak governance systems, fall disproportionately on women, youth, and marginalized communities across the region. It is against this backdrop that Southern Africa Trust (The Trust) announces her participation in the Alternative Mining Indaba (AMI) 2025, where she will host a vital side event that challenges traditional approaches to resource governance. This year’s AMI is being held under the theme “Energy transition for who? The critical question of our times! And is being convened in Cape Town, South Africa from 3- 6 February 2025 parallel to the Mining Indaba.

The urgency of this conversation cannot be overstated. Across Southern Africa, communities grapple with the consequences of extractive practices that prioritize profit over people and ecosystems. The securitization of mining operations often masks corruption and environmental harm while excluding affected communities from decision-making processes. This reality demands a transformative approach that centres community voices and experiences in the governance of natural resources.

The Trust’s side event at AMI, “Reclaiming Earth, Restoring Balance and Care in the Extractives Sector: Afro-ecofeminist Approaches to Mining Sector Transformation,” brings a critical perspective to the 2025 AMI. We view the Alternative Mining Indaba as an ideal platform for this dialogue, historically functioning as a crucial gathering point for communities, civil society, and stakeholders seeking to rewrite the narratives around natural resource governance.

The timing of this intervention is particularly significant. As 2025 marks the African Union’s Year on Reparations, the mining sector faces increasing pressure to address historical injustices and their ongoing impacts. The Trust’s event strategically connects these broader conversations about justice and reparations to practical questions of mining sector transformation, creating a unique opportunity for meaningful dialogue and action.

Central to the event is the introduction of Afro-ecofeminist approaches as a framework for reimagining mining sector governance. This perspective uniquely addresses the interconnected challenges of environmental degradation, gender inequality, and systemic exploitation rooted in colonial histories. By bringing together voices from grassroots movements, policy spheres, and industry experts, the event creates space for dialogue that moves beyond traditional corporate social responsibility to envision truly transformative approaches to resource governance.

Distinguished speakers at the event will explore how balance, care, and humanity can be integrated into natural resource extraction, examining ways to challenge exploitative practices and advance justice in the sector. The discussions will delve into the crucial role of community stewardship in sustainable resource management, while demonstrating practical applications of Afro-ecofeminist approaches to mining governance.

The event’s structure has been carefully designed to facilitate not just discussion, but action. Through interactive sessions and working groups, participants will contribute to developing concrete strategies for sector transformation. This approach reflects the Trust’s commitment to moving beyond dialogue to practical solutions that can be implemented at community, national, and regional levels.

For over a decade, The Trust has worked at the intersection of community rights and natural resource governance. This side event at AMI 2025 represents a crucial step in advancing a more just and sustainable approach to mining in Southern Africa. By bringing together diverse stakeholders and centring marginalized voices, The Trust aims to contribute to a broader movement for mining sector transformation that benefits all stakeholders while protecting environmental and community interests.

Those interested in participating in this transformative dialogue are encouraged to follow our hashtags #AMI2025, #OurEarth, #ReclaimEarth and #Afroecofeminism throughout the AMI period and beyond. Our website, www.southernafricatrust.org, will also be continuously updated with related information awareness resources.

About Southern Africa Trust (The Trust)

Established in 2005, the Southern Africa Trust (The Trust) is a regional non-profit organization dedicated to eradicating poverty and inequality across sixteen Southern African countries. Serving as both a regranting and implementing entity, we collaborate closely with civil society organizations to foster partnerships that promote pro-poor policies and practices. Our mission is to amplify the voices and agency of marginalized populations, with a specific focus on women, LGBTQIA+ communities, and youth. We address key areas such as economic justice, climate justice, and gender equality. Central to our work are feminist and intersectional approaches, ensuring that gender considerations are embedded in all our initiatives.

The Trust has established herself as a leading voice in natural resource governance, implementing community-centred approaches and facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogues that drive positive change in the extractive sector. Through her sustained engagement with communities and policymakers, The Trust continues to advance inclusive and sustainable approaches to resource governance across the region.