by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – SOUTH Africa’s human rights and environmental defenders continue to face rising levels of harassment, violence, and intimidation—particularly those challenging mining operations and defending community rights.
Today, at the historic Women’s Jail at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, the Life After Coal campaign is hosting the People’s Hearing for Human Rights Defenders, a platform for activists and grassroots leaders to share firsthand accounts of abuse, threats, and impunity.
The event marks the fifth anniversary of the assassination of Fikile Ntshangase, a respected anti-coal activist murdered for opposing the expansion of the Somkhele coal mine in KwaZulu-Natal. Her death remains unsolved—symbolic of a broader pattern of state inaction and corporate impunity.
Organised under the Defend Our Defenders campaign—backed by over 80 civil society groups—the People’s Hearing shines a spotlight on systemic failures by authorities.
Despite repeated submissions to the Ministries of Police, Justice, and the Presidency, no progress has been made in resolving the murders of activists or holding perpetrators accountable.
“Defenders stand for justice with no real protection from the state,” said Sifiso Dladla of groundWork, part of the Life After Coal coalition. “This hearing amplifies their voices and demands accountability.”
Communities giving testimony include the Melmoth Community, Amadiba Crisis Committee, Abahlali baseMjondolo, Mfolozi Community Environmental Justice Organisation (MCEJO), and Sukumani Environmental Justice (SEJ)—all of whom face threats, surveillance, or violence for their advocacy.
“We can’t build a just future while silencing those who speak truth to power,” said Themba Khumalo of SEJ.
As South Africa faces mounting resistance to environmental destruction, the People’s Hearing calls for urgent action to protect those risking their lives for justice.
– CAJ News