Click here for the archive
New work by Kevin Lester is published here. Explore the complete catalogue at archive.kevinlester.co.za. Independent advisory work is at kevinlester.co.za.
It is organised in three collections.
Mining is Human is a series of stories about mining in southern and central Africa — its geology, capital, labour, infrastructure, decisions and consequences across time. The stories are published in arcs. Each arc follows a commodity, a region, or a theme, from the first concession to the current owner, mine by mine. Arcs can overlap: a mine that appears in the Northern Cape arc may also belong to the copper arc. The same ground, read differently each time.
The Institutional Record tells the institutional stories of Southern African business — the versions institutions have told about themselves, the versions the archive tells, and the versions that emerge when institutions are called to account. Same records. Different eyes.
Other posts and media is a collection of materials from an independent advisory practice — notes, essays, presentations, and a podcast recorded with various collaborators and produced by Solid Gold Podcasts. Written and recorded for General Counsel, senior executives, and Chairs in mining and other regulated sectors. Listen on Apple Podcasts or iono.fm.
@Kevin Lester - good to see you here on Substack! I look forward to reading your regular posts here. I must admit to being a bit jealous that you have the resources (the time, and the knowledge) to produce such detailed, interesting stuff. I am still struggling to fit writing (and a lot of reading) in between my consulting work (allegedly part-time …) and managing our house build in Lusaka, Zambia.
You might be interested in something I wrote and published here: https://substack.com/@ronsmit/p-181047436