Johannesburg, South Africa — Mining big Anglo-American introduced at the moment its intention to oppose an attraction by a gaggle of Zambian girls and youngsters who’re suing the corporate for alleged mass lead poisoning.
This authorized battle traces again to poisonous publicity claims from a lead mine in Zambia’s Kabwe district, the place Anglo-American South Africa (AASA) held a stake from 1925 till 1974.
The Johannesburg High Court just lately permitted the claimants to attraction in opposition to a previous determination that dismissed their class motion lawsuit in opposition to AASA. This lawsuit contends that over 140,000 people might have suffered lead poisoning over generations as a result of mine’s operations.
Despite expressing sympathy for the affected people in Kabwe, Anglo-American maintains that it isn’t liable for the state of affairs.
The firm’s agency stance comes because the Johannesburg High Court’s Justice Leonie Wendell discovered “compelling reasons to grant the appeal,” highlighting that the attraction reveals “reasonable prospects of success.”
Representing the claimants, Mbuyisa Moleele Attorneys and Leigh Day described the court docket’s determination to permit the attraction as a “crucial step towards achieving justice” for the impacted girls and youngsters.
The authorized groups argue that there’s clear proof supporting the allegations, citing extreme well being impacts on the native inhabitants from as early because the Seventies, together with youngsters struggling and dying from lead poisoning, with many exhibiting dangerously excessive blood lead ranges.
The case is about to proceed to South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal later this yr, persevering with a major authorized problem that underscores ongoing environmental and well being points related to historic mining actions.
https://www.africanexponent.com/anglo-american-to-oppose-appeal-in-zambian-lead-poisoning-lawsuit/
