Beyond Paternalism:

Anthropocene Narratives of Living with Resource Extraction in Africa

“…The city, nicknamed "the place of abundance" and boasting a mine shaft of almost two kilometers deep, has consistently been one of the biggest copper producers in the Zambian industry. 16 Decades of mining have profoundly shaped Mufulira's landscape and have caused irreversible environmental change.…”

“…Initiated in the colonial period, this paternalism reached its apex after independence in the 1970s, when the nationalized mining company Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM) instituted what has been referred to as "cradle-to-grave" policies. 19 The otherwise rich government and mining archives seldom refer to issues of environmental change or pollution, despite their blatant and quotidian presence. The rare mentions that do occur evidence that throughout the twentieth century mining companies prioritized production and profit over environmental concerns.…”

“…Being heavily dependent on mining revenues, even the democratically elected government refrained from antagonizing company interests. 23 Kathbert Nchema, a former mine captain, explained how these political structures, coupled with company paternalism, played a role in subduing overt protest against the environmental consequences of copper mining: My father was a mineworker and to me it always seemed like a good job. ZCCM did not just pay us well, they fed us, they educated our children, they ran our hospitals.…”