At the end of the 12-day hearing that opened on 20 January, the Court will decide whether to certify this unprecedented class action demanding that
"Residents of Kabwe have shown incredible resilience in pursuing legal action against a multinational mining giant and should be afforded the opportunity to make their case before South African courts. Businesses have a responsibility to remediate the adverse human rights impacts of their activities. Remediation starts with a fair access to courts" said Candy Ofime, Researcher and Adviser on Business and Human Rights at
This lawsuit has the potential to set a key legal precedent and fill an important accountability gap. For years, human rights organizations have been amplifying residents of Kabwe's calls for justice internationally. At the hearing, representatives of the United Nations Special Procedures will also have a chance to present legal argument regarding corporates' responsibility to remediate harm.
SALC's Socio-Economic Rights
"This case is not just another class action. Its certification is important not only to the people of Kabwe but to anyone who suffered human rights abuses as a result of transboundary corporate conduct by a South African company. South African courts have the power to level the imbalance and close the accountability gap that exists in practice. "
Amnesty and SALC are represented by the
Background
In
The Kabwe lead mine--once known as the "Broken Hill"mine-- was allegedly operated and managed by
Today, experts describe Kabwe as a "sacrifice zone" and one of the most lead-polluted places on earth. Medical studies have shown that children from Kabwe have record-high levels of lead in their blood. Children and pregnant women are at particular risk from lead toxicity, which is known to cause permanent damage to internal organs, including the brain.
Read our written submissions here. https://www.amnesty.org/fr/documents/afr53/5570/2022/en/
Watch the hearing live here. https://mbmlaw.co.za/livestream/
For inquiries, please contact:
From
* Robert Shivambu, Media Manager for
From the Southern Africa Litigation Centre
* SALC Johannesburg office, at Enquiries@salc.org.za or +27 (0) 10 596 8538
From the
*
.
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