The bridge structure collapsed into the flooded part of the mine, said Roy Kaumba Mayonde, minister of the interior of Lualaba province. According to him, 32 bodies have been found so far, but the search for other possible victims is still ongoing. The accident took place about 40 kilometers southeast of the provincial capital of Kolwezi.
“Despite a strict ban on entry to the site due to heavy rains and the risk of landslides, illegal diggers forced their way into the mine,” said Mayonde. According to him, the “hasty crossing of the diggers” caused the temporary bridge to collapse into the flooded ditch.
The Congolese authority responsible for controlling mining carried out by individuals or mining cooperatives told the AFP agency that there was panic at the site. According to the authority, the Kalando mining site has been at the center of a dispute between small diggers and mine operators, described as “Chinese partners”, for several months.
The mining sector in the Congo is struggling with the problem of inadequate working conditions, the use of child labor and corruption. The country produces more than 70 percent of the world’s cobalt, which is essential for batteries used in electronics and electric cars. Most of Congo’s cobalt comes from giant industrial mines, but it is estimated that more than 200,000 people work as miners in illegal deposits.
