Issued on: 17/12/2025
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a bus transporting company mineworkers was pelted by stones by artisanal miners in early November. We spoke to several locals who said this was not an isolated incident, blaming the tensions on a lack of space for the artisanal miners.
A video shared online on November 9, 2025, shows a bus being pelted by stones in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The scene took place on a road often used by mining companies in Kolwezi, in the south of the country. The bus was attacked by artisanal miners, small operators with basic equipment, known locally as "diggers".
Didier Katshongo, an engineer at a mining company, told our team that this is not an isolated incident:
“When our workers' buses take that road, the artisanal miners throw stones at the buses. Attacks like this have become more frequent in 2025.”
These incidents took place along a road near the KOV open-pit mine, operated by the joint venture KCC. But it's not just the KOV mine that causes tensions.
‘The few sites where artisanal mining is tolerated are not enough’
Artisanal mining is legal in DR Congo. This means mining is performed both by artisanal miners and big companies.
Diggers are supposed to work in "artisanal mining zones” established by authorities or in areas belonging to mining companies, provided the latter tolerate their presence.
But there aren't enough mines open to artisanal miners. That is why they often force their way onto mines operated by companies.
Schadrack Mukad Mway End Naw, national coordinator of the platform “Understanding and Acting in the Industrial, Artisanal Mining, and Governance Sectors” (CASMIA-G ASBL), explained:
“There are more than 250,000 artisanal miners in Lualaba province [where Kolwezi is located]. This sector helps tackle youth unemployment. They need access to the mines to make a living. But there's not enough territory. The few sites where artisanal mining is tolerated are not enough. That's why they break down company fences.”
The authorities announced the creation of 64 artisanal mining zones in Lualaba in November.
No comments:
Post a Comment