Like in Marikana, miners and communities living near mines are often confronted with severe human rights problems ranging from labour rights violations, land evictions, water and air pollution, lack of consultation and the violent shut down of protest through police and public or private security forces. Mining companies take advantage of low or inadequately enforced labour, social and environmental standards. Bench Marks Foundation has been documenting these sorts of abuses in the mining industry in South Africa and other African Countries for many years. The new publication “Platinum for the World Market, Iron Shacks for the Workers” by Brot für die Welt and Bench Marks Foundation looks at the situation in Marikana five years after the massacre of 34 workers in 2012. It illustrates that Lonmin and BASF are still far off from living up to national and international standards on responsible business conduct. The case is emblematic for the global mining industry and shows that corporate social responsibility is failing.
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August 31, 2017 | Brot für die Welt and Bench Marks Foundation
Platinum for the World Market, Iron Shacks for the Workers
Living and Working Conditions in Marikana Five Years
by Aisha Bahadur, Lisa Kadel, Sarah Lincoln
Read the full study here.
