17/05/2025
Stolen Riches: The Plundering of Africa's Minerals
For centuries, Africa has been a source of great riches; a continent blessed with gold, diamonds, copper, cobalt, oil, and rare earth minerals. Written not by the hands of its people but by the iron grip of colonialism, beneath the soil of affluence is a legacy of plunder and exploitation.
When European powers descended on Africa in the late 19th century during the Scramble for Africa, it was to plunder, not to enlighten or elevate societies. Ignoring its inhabitants, customs, and sovereignties, colonial powers divided the continent under the flags of empire and civilization. Their ultimate objective was basic: get riches at any cost.
Western empires grew wealthy on African soil, from the diamond-rich fields of South Africa to the copper belts of Congo. British, Belgian, French, Portuguese, and German colonialists created harsh systems that imprisoned Africans in their native territories, pushing them to dig deep into the ground not for themselves but for foreign crowns and businesses.
Under King Leopold II's rule of terror, millions died in the Congo as rubber and ivory were exported and gold and copper sustained Belgium's economy. Gold and diamond mines such Kimberley and Witwatersrand in South Africa developed into world economic powerhouse on the backs of Black laborers who were overworked, underpaid, and rejected.
This was institutionalized stealing, not simply resource exploitation. To enable mineral exports, infrastructure such ports and railways were constructed not for Africans. Supported by colonial governments, Western corporations prospered while African communities suffered poisoned lands, exploited labor, and stolen destiny.
The legacy of this abuse persisted even after independence. Wealth continued to be channeled out of Africa by Neo-colonial systems, dishonest contracts, and world trade regulations. Multinational corporations replaced colonial governor
