A poet, an actor, a filmmaker, and a citizen. 2022 Film Fellow Sox the Poet, (real name Sondlane Dube) is many things, but at his core, he remains a passionate advocate for social justice. For Sox, a politics and administration graduate, this interest in seeing justice prevail economically, culturally and politically is a vocation. Poetry has been his primary tool for advancing his causes through paying tribute to power – personal power and the power of poetry to capture people’s lived realities, amplify their challenges, spark their imaginations, and encourage them to find their power and pursue justice. It is this that led to Sox’s encounter with the Accountability Lab’s Integrity Innovations Lab Session in September 2023.

Integrity Innovation Labs (IILs) are interactive spaces for cross-pollinating ideas, sharing challenges, and co-a cross section of society (civil servants, Community Frontline Associates, Accountapreneurs, business and creatives) to engage with public officials from Chapter 12 institutions like Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) to engage in structured dialogue to fashion collective solutions to local accountability challenges, and build a culture of integrity within government. Sox, was a participant during one of these ILLs in Pumula, focusing on urban mining in the suburb. The encounter was triggering for Sox, who grew up in Magwegwe West which shares many of the struggles that Pumula was going through with urban mining.

I witnessed and felt the impact of mining blasts right in my own backyard. Every time there was a blast in Pumula, we could hear it, and we knew the damage it caused to our homes. Our main challenge, however, was the sewage bursts that followed these blasts—sewage pipes would crack, creating stagnant pools of water, breeding mosquitoes. This exposure puts us at risk for diseases like malaria and cholera. I couldn’t even report these issues without being blamed for the cracks in my home. It became hard to point to mining blasts as the root cause because people would dismiss it as madness, but these are lived experiences.”

These experiences were SOX’s inspiration for I Dare You, a poem capturing this struggle. Sox questions the lack of proper governance and accountability in the mining sector, articulating frustration with foreign mining companies who exploit the land, and take the profits elsewhere, leaving local communities to bear the brunt of the damage.

“I dare you to seek consent. And not rape our virgin lands”

SOX’s verse, questions the exploitation inherent in mining practices in Zimbabwe, particularly in contexts where mining occurs without consideration for the environmental, social, and cultural context. He dares the system to address the lack of accountability in mining governance and challenge the status quo that has allowed these destructive practices to flourish.

Sox the Poet reciting ‘I Dare You’ during the ‘Time Bomb’ documentary launch

The reflections and concerns from Pumula on the mining of quarry in their neighborhood and its environmental impact and infrastructure damage was captured in Accountability Lab’s documentary, Time Bomb: The impact of urban mining on the city of Bulawayo. The documentary features a wide array of voices of residents from Pumula, Parklands, and Bulawayo, local authorities and Environmental Management Agency representatives highlights the growing threat of urban and illegal mining in the region. The film highlights mining impacts on water sources, residential areas, and community health. It showcases the environmental damage to rivers like the Mzingwane, risks of structural collapse in neighborhoods like Parklands, and health concerns from quarry and cement plant operations near homes.

Bulawayo’s struggle with urban mining reflects a broader national dilemma: the challenge of balancing resource extraction with the rights and well-being of local communities. Through his artistry, Sox the Poet underscores the urgent need for accountability, sustainable governance, and collective action. His work serves as a rallying cry, reminding us that this is not just a fight to protect the environment but a battle for the dignity and future of those who call these lands home.

I Dare You is included in the soundtrack to the short film. Time Bomb was produced in collaboration with Centre for Innovation and Technology (CITE) and Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA).

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Bathabile Dlamini is the Media and Communications Officer, and Dr. McDonald Lewanika is the Country Director at Accountability Lab Zimbabwe