Protesters from Youth Affected by Mining United in Action make their way through the streets of Rosebank as part of their bike protest. Photos: Ihsaan Haffejee
Youth Affected by Mining United in Action cycled the “Toxic Tour” to various mining companies’ offices in Johannesburg
GroundUp’s Ihsaan Haffejee reports that on Youth Day, the youth wing of Mining Affected Communities in Action (MACUA) held a unique protest. They rode bicycles to different mining companies in Johannesburg to highlight the exploitation and pollution caused by these companies.
▶️ This article was first published here on GroundUp.
Bongani Jonas, the national coordinator of Youth Affected by Mining United in Action (YAMUA), said that mining companies take advantage of their communities and harm the environment. He stated, “With this bike ride, we will be taking the protest to the doorsteps of these companies. The CEOs are not based in our communities, seeing the effects of their mining activities; they are here in the suburbs.”
The protest, called the “Toxic Tour,” targeted the headquarters of Anglo American, De Beers, Seriti, South32, and Glencore. Jonas emphasized that unemployment is the biggest issue for young people in these areas. The mining companies do not hire locally or provide skill transfer, and he called for a major change in how the mining sector operates.
Protesters performed outside the offices of these companies to show the impact of mining on their lives. Sifundo Zungu, a young protester, said, “The mines are saying that they are building a better future for us, but they are shutting us out, so we are here today to make our voices heard.”
Organizers demanded greater accountability from mining companies for environmental damage and climate change. Jonas added, “The world is in crisis now with climate change, so we need to be given an opportunity to advocate our own issues and lead our own struggles.”
