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12 February, 2026The annual convergence in Cape Town of the Investing in African Mining Indaba and its counterpoint, the Alternative Mining Indaba, once again highlighted the stark divide that characterises much of the continent’s extractive sector: on one side, deal-making among investors, mining houses, and governments; on the other, demands from affected communities and trade unions for a more equitable share of the proceeds.
This year, 9 to 12 February, the two events ran in parallel at separate venues in the city. The mainstream Indaba, investor-focused and corporate-oriented, drew the usual crowd of executives pursuing partnerships and capital flows in critical minerals. By contrast, the Alternative Mining Indaba, under the theme Alternative Stories of Mining, amplified the perspectives of marginalised and Indigenous communities, trade unions, and civil-society groups insistent on mining practices that reduce poverty, narrow inequality, and foster sustainable livelihoods rather than merely extract value.
The persistent contrast of wealth generated by mines put next to persistent poverty in host communities featured prominently in discussions, as did the risk of creating so-called green sacrifice zones where the costs of the global energy transition fall disproportionately on vulnerable populations in mineral-rich regions.
Trade unions, including affiliates of IndustriALL Global Union from Australia, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, engaged actively at both forums. They pressed mining companies on workers’ rights, decent working standards, sustainable extraction, and the need for a Just Transition. During a meeting on 11 February, emphasis fell on the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) as one of the more credible mechanisms for safeguarding labour rights, community interests, and environmental protections. At the Alternative Mining Indaba, unions stressed that workers form an integral part of affected communities and are therefore equally exposed to environmental, social, and governance failures.
Critical transition minerals including cobalt, lithium, graphite, and others essential to batteries and renewable energy dominated agendas at both gatherings. Sessions explored how to harness these resources for broader economic benefit, the resurgence of resource nationalism, the scope for equitable global supply-chain partnerships, human-capital development, geopolitical dynamics, regulatory frameworks, and the role of governments. Chinese multinational corporations came under scrutiny for their close ties to host governments and workers’ rights violations in countries such as Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In a panel on corporate accountability at the AMI, IndustriALL outlined its strategy of engaging major players including Anglo American, Glencore and Rio Tinto through global company networks, structured dialogue, and collective bargaining. IndustriALL affiliates are also forging alliances with artisanal and small-scale mining associations and local communities in the DRC, Zambia and Zimbabwe, with initial cooperation centred on health and safety improvements.
As Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL director for mining observed:
“The dialogue and engagement at both the Mining Indaba and the Alternative Mining Indaba is taking place in contested spaces. However, trade unions should continue to exploit these platforms to advance the Just Transition and defend workers’ interests, particularly as global demand for transition minerals intensifies.”