'Mining Indaba 2025: putting communities at the heart of mining’s future’ 7 January 2025

This year, as we mark our 31st anniversary, Mining Indaba is evolving. MI25 heralds a groundbreaking era, one that finally recognises the distinct characteristics and inherent rights of mining communities and indigenous groups, placing them firmly at the heart of the mining narrative. This transformative change aligns perfectly with our vision, recognising that the mining industry in Africa is at a critical juncture: “Mining Indaba can and will facilitate this evolution and disrupt conventional approaches… assisting them to transition and embrace a bold future through positive and disruptive dialogues.” MI25 is not simply about inclusivity; it’s about a fundamental realignment of the mining discourse. We are moving beyond the traditional stakeholder model to embrace the voices of those most deeply affected by mining – the communities that live and breathe mining: the workers, residents, and migrant labourers who form its backbone.

Crucially, we are embracing the voices of indigenous peoples with ancestral ties to the land, the very source of the minerals that drive our industry. We are acknowledging the traditional authorities who serve as custodians of these precious resources. This is why the presence of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San leaders, the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (CONTRALESA), and a plethora of other community organisations at MI25 is not just welcome, it’s revolutionary. Their participation is a recognition of their integral role in shaping the future of mining in Africa… This focus on community engagement is not simply altruistic; it’s a strategic imperative for a sustainable future. As David Sturmes-Verbeek, co-founder and director of partnerships & innovation at The Impact Facility, and member of the African Mining Indaba Advisory Committee on Sustainability, powerfully articulated in a recent op-ed: “Mining… requires compromise and poses risks… it is crucial that the local community be engaged, educated, and empowered to negotiate terms at every step of the mining cycle.”

The Mining Indaba platform is about unlocking the transformative potential of mining to drive sustainable development and create shared prosperity. It’s about recognising that mining communities are not passive recipients; they are active partners in development, custodians of the land, and holders of invaluable traditional knowledge. MI25 is a movement. It’s a movement towards a future where mining is a force for good, a catalyst for positive change, and a source of empowerment for communities and generations to come. Join us at MI25 and be part of this historic transformation. Let us forge a future where mining empowers, enriches, and endures