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By Kim Harrisberg [[link removed]] | South Africa correspondent

The "critical question"

I'm Kim Harrisberg, Context's South Africa correspondent, and I wanted to tell you about an oddly romantic event I attended recently: the African Mining Indaba conference [[link removed]] in Cape Town.

Some 11,000 attendees gathered from all walks of life to discuss minerals, mines and money.

It felt a lot like a speed dating session between mining companies and governments keen to find a mineral match made in heaven.

The conference app wasn’t unlike Tinder. “Show interest” in a delegate, hope for a match, slide into their DMs.

Lanyard-laden officials escorted ministers between meeting halls and private rooms to shake hands, talk minerals and - at least in some public panels - debate how they are mined.

Historically, from Kabwe in Zambia to Kolwezi in the DRC, the continent's minerals have largely benefited the elite, leaving behind environmental damage and exploiting miners.

With some 40% of the critical minerals needed to power green industries like solar and wind farms found in Africa, investors and governments are salivating while activists ready their placards.

Attendees at the Alternative Mining Indaba listen to a land expert and advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi in Cape Town, South Africa, February 3, 2025. Thomson Reuters Foundation/Kim Harrisberg

I also attended the Alternative Mining Indaba (which means “important meeting” in Zulu), a smaller event organised by activists, researchers and community members impacted by mining projects that runs alongside the main conference.

The theme for this alternative event was: 'Energy transition for who? The critical question of our times'. The conversation focused less on courtship, and more on consent.

"We need to recognise that no mining can be sustainable,” said Charlize Tomaselli from the non-profit Alternative Information and Development Centre (AIDC), who is calling for binding international treaties to ensure ethical mining practices.

“We need to talk about mining that is transparent and accountable [[link removed]]," she told me.

Africa's seat at the table

There was a major push at both Indabas for Africans to have a greater say in resource extraction.

South Africa became the first country to accept a Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) deal in 2021, in which richer nations pledged $8.5 billion to accelerate the country's shift away from coal to renewables, while protecting local employment. [[link removed]]

But South Africa's Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantsashe, made it clear at the Indaba opening ceremony: coal is open for business - a potential ideological snag that could challenge JETP funders.

In his view, Africa needs to benefit more from its own resources - even if this clashes with international climate agreements.

"If you want coal, we will give you coal," he said to his suited suitors.

Workers walk past a coal-fired Komati Power Station, operated by Eskom near Komati village, in the Mpumalanga province in South Africa, May 9, 2024. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

But a key missing piece mentioned at both events is Africa's lack of capacity to extract more value from processing these precious resources.

"These minerals are dispersed in the Global South and the manufacturing and know-how is in the Global North," said Shane Choshane, a programme officer from the CNV International trade union.

African countries could generate an estimated $24 billion annually in GDP and create 2.3 million jobs by investing in domestic processing of minerals to create green products such as electric vehicles, according to South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Ramaphosa’s words, said at a business forum a few months prior [[link removed]], set the tone for this Indaba that rang true for politicians and activists alike:

"What will be critical is to ensure that this progress does not leave Africa behind," he said.

Jack will be back with you next week for more insights from the front lines of the climate and nature crises.

See you then,

Kim

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