South Africa’s lithium rush targets farmland bigger than Pretoria

• South Africa's lithium rush targets farmland bigger than Pretoria, with over 73,000 hectares of land claimed through prospecting licences.
• The lithium rush is a key part of South Africa's plan to revive its economy through green energy, with President Cyril Ramaphosa describing critical minerals as a 'sunrise industry' with potential to create jobs and strengthen the industrial base.
• Thousands of farmers and residents are objecting to the prospecting licences, fearing the loss of productive land and jobs, with a coalition of activists launching objections and the Sugar Cane Growers Association warning of 30,000 jobs at risk.