AACC Youth share key lessons from the 2025 Alternative Mining Indaba

Every year, mining companies, investors, financiers and governments meet at the African Mining Indaba (MI) in Cape Town to discuss the future of African Mining with very minimal participation of stakeholder communities directly affected by mining activities.  In response to this injustice, Faith Based and Civil Society Organizations established the Alternative Mining Indaba (AMI) in 2010 as a strategic platform for bringing to light the lived realities of dispossession, relocation, gender-based violence and marginalization faced by people in communities directly affected by mining activities in Africa.

The 15th AMI took place between 3rd and 6th February 2025 in Cape town, South Africa on the theme: Energy transition for Who? A critical question in our times!

Two members of the AACC’s All Africa Youth Network: Patricia Matemera from the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe and Jacques Heyman from the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa joined other religious leaders from the AACC members and other faith communities across Africa to bring the faith perspectives in all AMI conversations and activities.

“This was my first time to participate in the AMI and I was so inspired by the fellow youth delegates consistent call for urgent reforms in Africa’s resource governance, increased tax transparency, and accountability.” Noted Patricia.

The AACC youth took the floor on several occasions to lobby for support towards the UN Tax convention and commitment towards the implementation of liberative and progressive policies with the potential of ending the injustices experienced in the mining sector.

“This AMI made it clear to me that we need to invest more in building awareness on the alarming level of illicit financial flows on our continent and its impact on Africa’s sustainable development and the wellbeing of our people.” Expressed Heyman. 

In the Photo: Group photo of the 2025 AMI participants