Press Release

Legacy Pollution and Ongoing Abuses: A Call for Justice in the Mining Sector

Press release

Mining remains the backbone of Zambia’s economy, contributing approximately 70 percent of foreign exchange earnings and 30 percent of national revenue. Despite its significance, longstanding evidence shows persistent and grave human rights violations linked to mining operations, largely driven by gaps in corporate accountability and weaknesses in the justice system. A notable example is the legacy pollution crisis in Kabwe involving the Anglo-American Group, which left an estimated 6.4 million tons of lead-bearing waste, exposing nearly 200,000 people. Medical assessments have shown that more than 95 percent of children living near the former mine have elevated blood lead levels. Owing to the severity of harm, the United Nations designated Kabwe as a “sacrifice zone.”

ActionAid Zambia notes that on 3rd–4th November 2025, the South African Supreme Court of Appeal heard a certification appeal in the case of Kabwe and Others v. Anglo American South Africa. This represents continued efforts by human rights defenders to secure justice for the more than 140,000 women and children affected by lead pollution. The appeal follows the dismissal of an earlier class-action lawsuit by the Johannesburg High Court in late 2023.

It is important to recognise that the case is being heard in South Africa because Zambia does not permit class-action litigation and does not allow contingency fee arrangements, making it practically impossible for affected communities to pursue collective claims within the national legal framework. This situation underscores the significant barriers to accessing justice for mining-impacted communities and exposes critical gaps in the legal system gaps that may leave vulnerable populations without fair compensation or long term public health protections.

Meanwhile, several other cases of environmental and human rights violations in the extractive sector continue to emerge. These include the recent acid effluent contamination of the Kafue River by Sino Metals, environmental breaches by Avocado Mining Limited, and widespread displacement linked to mining expansions. These incidents often leave communities with inadequate compensation for disrupted livelihoods, as well as cultural and social losses. As ActionAid Zambia, we remain deeply concerned by the persistent pattern of human rights violations arising from mining operations. On this basis, we make the following calls to action:

1. Strengthen enforcement of existing legislation to enhance corporate accountability. This requires increased institutional support for oversight bodies such as the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) and the Human Rights Commission, both of which currently receive less than 0.1 percent of the national budget. Adequate resourcing will improve monitoring, enforcement, and the processing of environmental and human rights cases.
2. Fast-track the adoption of the National Action Plan (NAP) on Business and Human Rights, which has remained pending since 2017. The NAP must be aligned with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
3. Enforce stronger penalties for polluters, in line with the Environmental Management Act. This should include mandatory remedial measures to restore damaged environments, provision of medical care to affected individuals, and fair, rights-based compensation for relocation.
4. Reform the legal system to allow class-action lawsuits, which are essential for strengthening access to justice. Such reforms would enable communities affected by legacy cases such as lead pollution in Kabwe and emerging violations involving companies like Avocado Mining, Sino Metals Leach Zambia, and EZED Mining to collectively seek redress.
5. Improve transparency in environmental and human rights cases, allowing the public to understand the extent of harm and enabling the establishment of fair, evidence-based compensation frameworks.

Zambia’s mining sector cannot continue to thrive at the expense of the health, dignity, and rights of its people. The legacy of lead pollution in Kabwe and the ongoing environmental and human rights violations across the country serve as urgent reminders that economic development must never override human welfare. Strengthening our legal and institutional frameworks, enforcing accountability, and ensuring genuine community protection are not optional they are necessary for a just and sustainable future. ActionAid Zambia remains committed to working with government, civil society, and affected communities to advance justice, protect human rights, and ensure that all mining operations uphold the highest standards of responsibility.

Faides TembaTemba
Country Director
ActionAid Zambia