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CALS supports Marginalised and Affected Communities Summit

- Lee-Anne Gaertner

Representatives from CALS are set to present at the annual MAC Summit organised by Mining Affected Communities United in Action

Robert Krause and Mazi Choshane from the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS) will be attending the Marginalised and Affected Communities (MAC) Summit this week. The Summit is organised by Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA) and Women Affected by Mining United in Action (WAMUA) from 4 – 6 February 2025 at the Holiday Inn in Sunnyside Park, Johannesburg. 

The Marginalised and Affected Communities or MAC Summit is an annual event hosted by South Africa’s largest network of mining affected communities, MACUA. The Summit brings together over 300 community representatives from around the country to discuss their shared challenges, engage in interactive workshops and participate in networking opportunities. This year’s theme is “Our land, our rights, our future: Laws for people and the planet, not for mining” and speakers include activists, academics and policymakers. 

Acting head of Environmental Justice Robert Krause and attorney Mazi Choshane will be representing the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS), Wits University, at the MAC Summit. Robert Krause has been invited to speak on the opening panel “Transforming the MPRDA: Advancing community rights and equitable benefit sharing” and to facilitate a group discussion on “National coalition building and strengthening advocacy through grassroots synergy”. 

“The Marginalised and Affected Communities Summit has a crucial role to play in bringing together community representatives and other stakeholders committed to advancing justice in the mining sector,” says Robert Krause. “One of our flagship Environmental Justice projects at CALS focuses on how the benefits that flow from mining are shared with those most impacted by the extractives industry: grassroots communities. The MAC Summit provides an important opportunity to engage with these important stakeholders.” 

“The MAC Summit is an opportunity for communities directly impacted by mining activities to come together to discuss the social injustices they face,” says Mazi Choshane. “This is particularly important for grassroots communities who are often overlooked and marginalised. The Summit provides an opportunity to gather and discuss changes needed in the sector, such as advocating for amendments to the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) to better protect the rights and interests of communities.” 

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