MARK OLALDE
  • Home
  • About
  • Background
  • Reporting
  • Photography
  • South Africa
  • Contact

South  Africa

A  journey  into  south  Africa's  mines,  the  lives  of  its  miners  and
the  energy-production  industries  fueling  Africa's  rapid  growth

By: Mark Olalde


Recapping  the  Project

7/2/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Eita,
And with that, the investigation is finished. I have been covering mine closure and abandonment in South Africa for much of the past two years, and it's now time to find the next thread to pull. Before that, a few closing thoughts...

I must of course give massive thanks to the Fund for Investigative Journalism, the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and the Fund for Environmental Journalism who all gave generously to make my reporting possible. My work would not have found success if not for the constant support and guidance (not to mention the office and endless supply of coffee) from the amazing staff at the Centre for Sustainability in Mining and Industry. Additionally, thank you to everyone at Independent Media who gave me a second home at 47 Sauer. And to all my sources who trusted me, invited me into your homes, shared your stories, I am beyond grateful.

Final thoughts below, but first, here is the batch of stories I produced in the last third of the project:

Climate Home
http://www.climatechangenews.com/2017/03/22/unfinished-business-coal-miners-south-africa-walk-away-clean/
Unfinished business: Coal miners across South Africa walk away from clean up

Roads & Kingdoms
http://roadsandkingdoms.com/2017/rebellion-in-pondoland/
The Pondoland Rebellion


The Star
http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/gauteng/days-of-coal-mines-are-numbered-as-eskom-shifts-focus-8378695
Days of coal mines are numbered as Eskom shifts focus

http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/north-west/a-trilogy-of-corruption-is-tearing-a-community-apart-8507543
A 'trilogy of corruption' is tearing a community apart

http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/gauteng/the-dust-mountain-thats-just-always-there-9180268
The dust mountain that's just always there

http://www.iol.co.za/the-star/anglogold-pause-plans-for-mine-in-colombia-9601431
AngloGold pause plans for mine in Colombia

Saturday Star
A minefield of hope....and violence

Oxpeckers
http://oxpeckers.org/2017/04/coal-mines-legacy/
Coal mines leave a legacy of ruin
*republished in the Mail & Guardian and Fin24

http://oxpeckers.org/2017/05/r60-billion-held-mines-never-closed/
R60-billion held for mines that are never closed
*republished in Fin24

http://oxpeckers.org/2017/05/future-without-coal/
South Africa's future without coal

http://oxpeckers.org/2017/06/no-mining-at-mabola/
No mining at Mabola for 'the foreseeable future'
*republished in ​Fin24

Picture
Mining in South Africa is in for a wild ride in the coming years. New legislation, corruption, shifting markets and much more promise to significantly change the mining landscape. I look forward to reading stories from all the amazing journos and photogs with whom I worked these past years.
​

To hopefully lead to other reporters and researchers continuing this work, I made all the records I obtained from South Africa's Department of Mineral Resources public. My previous blog post (here: www.markolalde.com/south-africa/paia-day-transparencys-a-beautiful-thing) explains what documents are there and how to access them.

And finally, many thanks to all of you who came along for this investigation through your reads, comments, critiques and interest! Keep supporting journalism, and it will support you.
Sharp sharp!

Mark
Picture
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Mark Olalde

    I was a freelance journalist, previously based in South Africa, where I reported on the related industries of mining and energy production.

    Categories

    All
    Analysis
    Photo Of The Week
    Updates

    Archives

    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.