CSOs 4 Tailings Justice

We are committed to building democratic community power to address the dangers of mine waste, including tailings facilities.

  • Gold Mines Expose South African Children to Uranium

    A Google Earth image shows an area of Johannesburg, South Africa, from above. An area with mine tailings is outlined in yellow. Adjacent, a residential area is outlined in red. Black-and-white dots mark the sites of homes where the researchers collected samples.
    Researchers collected hair and soil samples from a neighborhood (outlined in red) located near a mine tailings facility (outlined in yellow) in Johannesburg, South Africa. They then tested the uranium concentrations of the samples. Credit: Shezi et al., 2025, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-025-02874-2

    by Emily Gardner 17 March 2026, EOS

    A new study found that children living near mine tailings in Johannesburg had nearly twice as much uranium in their hair as children not living near tailings—and the younger the children, the higher the uranium concentrations.

    Children who live near gold mine tailings facilities in Johannesburg, South Africa, have nearly twice as much as uranium in their hair as those who don’t live near tailings facilities, according to new research. Concentrations were especially high in young children not yet attending school. Unlike other heavy metals, such as zinc or iron, uranium “has no known benefit or metabolic function in the human body.”

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  • The water leak that became a river

    Friday 05 June 2026 – 17:01pm — While residents across Johannesburg continue to face water shortages and supply disruptions, here in Riverlea, clean drinking water is going to waste. The community says these leaks have been left unattended for years despite numerous complaints, raising serious questions about infrastructure maintenance and water losses in a city where every drop counts. One leak dates back to 2020, while another to 2023.. Watch the video on eNCA here

  • South Africa’s move away from coal marred by legacy of abandoned mines: Report

    By Anna Weekes, MongaBay, 8 Jun 2026

    • A new report has found that none of the 412 coal mines that closed down between 2006 and 2023 in South Africa had set aside rehabilitation funds to restore damaged land and waterways.
    • Environmental groups warn that abandoned coal mines are leaving behind contaminated water, radioactive waste, and polluted landscapes that could harm communities for decades.
    • The report says weak enforcement allows mining companies to walk away from environmental damage, leaving taxpayers and mining communities to carry the cost.
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  • Filtered tailings: Grounded in testing

    Advancing research for safer tailings storage facilities (TSF)

    South Africa | Tuesday, 02 June 2026
    https://www.wsp.com/en-za/insights/filtered-tailings-grounded-in-testing

    When a solution reduces a risk as big as a tailings dam collapsing, it can be tempting to see it as a silver bullet, a seemingly simple answer to a complex issue. But on their own, technical fixes are rarely that straightforward. New technologies need people to unlock their full potential.

    Filtered tailings emerged as a promising alternative to conventional tailings dams after catastrophic mining disasters in Brazil and South Africa – prompting a global reassessment of tailings management. Regulatory authorities and industry bodies introduced new standards like the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) and the Consequence Classification System (CCS) – placing greater emphasis on risk reduction, accountability and transparency. 

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  • STATEMENT BY THE DATA CENTRES, SURVEILLANCE, CONTROL WORKING GROUP

    To: the Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies and the Minister, Mr. Solly Malatsi. RE: National Artificial Intelligence Policy and the Need for Inclusive, Transparent Governance

    25 May 2026: The Data Centres, Surveillance, Control Working Group, a loose group of activists, acknowledges the recent withdrawal of the draft AI Policy. At our recent hybrid workshop, held on 15 May 2026, the recording is also available here for your perusal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVzo4GYnSY4 — we discussed the blatant human rights and environmental gaps in the policy direction of the withdrawn draft.

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  • WEBINAR: Making Sense of the DWS Tailings Report

    After months of advocacy and demanding transparency, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has finally released its much-anticipated report on tailings. While the release is a win for civil society, the document itself is dense, technical, and high-stakes for the communities living near these sites. We thank the experts who helped us translate technical data into actionable knowledge. Meet Our Esteemed Panelists:

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  • South Africa’s AI Policy: Now is the Time to Raise Our Concerns

    By Hassen Lorgat, 3 May 2026, IOL News

    The Minister of Communications, Solly Malatsi, addressed the nation as he withdrew the Draft National AI Policy on 26 April 2026: “I am sorry. It should not have happened. I am embarrassed,” and, “I am withdrawing the Draft National Artificial Intelligence Policy. South Africa deserves better.”

    A few weeks on, the initial laughter may have subsided. But the central concern remains: the underlying political economy of the policy is unlikely to change.

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TAILINGS A GLOBAL MENACE

BRAZIL

SOUTH AFRICA