SA court hears pollution suit against mining giant

A hearing is getting underway in the High Court in South Africa to determine whether 140,000 Zambian women and children can bring a class action suit against the mining conglomerate, Anglo-American.

The alleged victims, inhabitants of the town of Kabwe, claim they have suffered extreme levels of lead pollution after nearly 50 years of metal mining and smelting operations by the company.

They argue that children in one of the most polluted places on earth have suffered significant brain damage.

A study in 2020 found average levels of lead in the blood to be nine times above internationally accepted thresholds.

Anglo-American contests the claim, which it called opportunistic. It says it’s not responsible for lead poisoning.

A hearing late last year ruled that UN experts could play a role in court proceedings.