JASS Southern Africa convened a regional dialogue “Women Defending Land and Life” as part of JASS’ virtual dialogue series ‘Women Radically Transforming a World in Crisis’ to spotlight the incredible organizing story of the Xolobeni community in South Africa led by the Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC) along with movement lessons on defense of land and life from women land defenders in the region.
ACC has been working with the Xolobeni communities for years to protect their precious titanium reserves and ancestral lands from mining corporations. Despite facing immense risks including violence, threats, and death in reprisal of their organized resistance, ACC leaders and land defenders are determined in their resolve to preserve their land, culture, and identity for future generations to come.
We engaged and spotlighted the incredible organizing story of ACC, and featured one of its formidable leaders, Nonhle Mbuthuma in conversation with women land defenders, Zandile Nsibande (Abahlali baseMjondolo) and Makoma Lekalakala (Earthlife). Together, the women leaders drew on their experiences to share movement lessons on organizing for defending land and life.
