Child labour allegations, environmental violations prompt regulatory action across continent
Nearly 80 miners died in an abandoned gold mine in South Africa this month, highlighting the dangerous conditions plaguing Africa’s extractive industries as demand for critical minerals surges. The tragedy at the illegal operation underscores broader safety and regulatory challenges across a continent that supplies much of the world’s cobalt, gold, and platinum.
Recent investigations and legal actions reveal systematic problems in mining operations from the Democratic Republic of Congo to South Africa, where environmental contamination, labour abuses, and regulatory failures persist despite corporate sustainability pledges.
The scrutiny intensifies as global demand for African minerals grows. Electric vehicle manufacturers and technology companies depend heavily on cobalt from the DRC, which supplies approximately 70 per cent of the world’s production. Yet conditions in many mining areas remain hazardous for workers and surrounding communities.
Child labour remains entrenched in cobalt supply chain
Of the 255,000 Congolese mining for cobalt, 40,000 are children, some as young as six years, according to the Wilson Centre. The U.S. Department of Labour estimates that at least 25,000 children are working in cobalt mines in the DRC.
These children work in dangerous conditions for minimal pay. Much of the work is informal small-scale mining in which laborers earn less than $2 per day while using their own tools, primarily their hands.
Major technology companies have faced legal challenges over their supply chain practices. The defendants were accused of “knowingly benefitting from and aiding and abetting the cruel and brutal use of young children in the DRC to mine cobalt,” and the case claims that the defendants “know and have known for a significant period of time” about the human rights violations in the DRC, according to court documents from a case against Apple, Google, Dell, Microsoft, and Tesla.
However, The US Court of Appeals decided in favor of Dell, Microsoft, Google, Apple, and Tesla in March 2024, rejecting their claims, though legal challenges continue.
The U.S. government has attempted to address the problem through monitoring systems. As of March 2024, 5,346 children in Lualaba and Haut Katanga provinces were registered in the CLMRS database, which now has been officially handed over to the Ministry of Mines as part of efforts to combat child labour in the cobalt industry.
Environmental violations
South Africa faces particular challenges with abandoned mines. The 45-page report, The Forever Mines: Perpetual Rights Risks from Unrehabilitated Coal Mines in Mpumalanga, South Africa documents the threats to communities from coal mines that have not been properly cleaned up, the failure of the national government to make progress on addressing the impacts of abandoned coal mines, and the inaction of industry to address the ongoing problems, Human Rights Watch reported.
Power outages and rising electricity costs are significantly undermining productivity and global competitiveness, according to Statistics South Africa, creating additional operational challenges for mining companies seeking to maintain environmental standards.
International law enforcement has taken notice. Four-country operation seizes chemicals, explosives, drugs and pain relief medication used by illegal miners, INTERPOL reported from a recent operation highlighting environmental and human impacts of illegal mining in West Africa.
The illegal mining sector poses particular risks. In South Africa a months long standoff between police and illegal miners in an abandoned gold mine comes to end, with close to 80 found dead in grim recovery operation, NPR reported in January 2025.
Investor focus shifts to environmental compliance
Mining companies face increasing pressure from investors concerned about environmental, social, and governance issues. In 2025, EY notes, miners have turned their focus more toward the environmental stewardship component of ESG, reporting that waste management (44 percent), water stewardship (31 percent), and climate change (31 percent) would attract the most scrutiny from investors, the Atlantic Council reported.
This shift reflects growing awareness amongst institutional investors about reputational and regulatory risks associated with mining operations that fail to meet environmental standards.
Legal challenges increase
2024 has been a year of growth for investor-State arbitration cases involving mining investments. A total of 48 new cases have been commenced with the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), according to legal analysis by Hogan Lovells.
Human rights organizations continue pressing for accountability. Mining companies and their stakeholders, including investors, governments and politicians, must confront the human rights abuses that are rife in the industry, Amnesty International said at Cape Town’s mining investment conference in March 2025.
Recent Amnesty International research documented specific violations. Expansion of mines has led to grievous human rights abuses including forced evictions at industrial cobalt and copper mines in the DRC, the organization reported.
Technology solutions emerge
A new app aims to help mining-affected communities kickstart accountability where they live, the World Bank reported, describing citizen reporting tools designed to improve mining governance in Africa.
These technological approaches represent one avenue for addressing accountability gaps, particularly in regions where government oversight remains limited.
Ongoing humanitarian crisis
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, thousands of children continue to toil under hazardous conditions for meagre wages, Humanium reported in May 2025, indicating that despite international attention and legal challenges, fundamental problems persist.
The scope of the challenge extends beyond individual companies or countries. Congressional hearings in the United States have examined how supply chains running through China may perpetuate these conditions, with lawmakers focusing on forced labor and other abuses.
Industry at crossroads
Africa’s mining sector stands at a critical juncture. Growing global demand for critical minerals essential to renewable energy and technology creates economic opportunities for African nations. However, the industry’s expansion has coincided with documented increases in environmental damage and labor violations.
Companies face mounting pressure from investors, regulators, and civil society organizations to demonstrate genuine improvement in operating practices. The legal victories achieved by major technology companies in U.S. courts may provide temporary relief, but underlying conditions in mining areas continue generating negative attention and potential liability.
The tragedy at the South African gold mine serves as a stark reminder that Africa’s mineral wealth extraction often comes at a devastating human cost. Whether the industry can transform its practices to match its sustainability rhetoric remains an open question as global mineral demand continues rising.
For communities living near mining operations, the stakes could not be higher. Their health, livelihoods, and children’s futures depend on whether corporate accountability mechanisms prove more effective than past efforts to address Africa’s mining industry problems.
Contact our investigative team with information about mining violations at tips@ethicalbusiness.africa
Written by the Ethical Business Analysis Desk
