A tragic event struck the Kalando mining site, located in the Mulondo quarry in Lualaba province (DRC), claiming more than 40 lives this weekend. The incident occurred approximately 42 kilometers southeast of Kolwezi, the provincial capital.

The site is officially operated by the company Pajeclem and managed in a semi-industrial manner by its Chinese partner, Pan Kai . For so-called "social" reasons, the mine was exceptionally open to artisanal miners during the weekend.

💥 The Cause of the Tragedy: Gunfire and Collapsed Bridge

Contrary to the initial theory of a simple landslide, the investigation points to the use of force as the direct cause of the disaster.

According to information gathered, uniformed men responsible for site security allegedly opened fire to control an "uncontrolled" exodus of diggers.

Mr. Donat Kambola , Coordinator of the IBGDH (Initiative for Good Governance and Human Rights), a local NGO, states:

"This is not a landslide, contrary to what is being said. It is rather the consequence of bullets that were fired at the site managed by a Chinese company."

The activist explains that, in a panic caused by the use of live ammunition , the miners attempting to flee took refuge en masse on a makeshift bridge . The bridge, unable to support the weight, collapsed, plunging many miners into the deep trench dug by the Chinese company to restrict access to the site.

🚨 Official Reactions and Measures

Following the disaster that occurred on Sunday morning (November 16), the Service for Assistance and Support of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (SAEMAPE) reacted immediately:

1. Immediate suspension of mining activities on the site to allow technical teams to assess the area and begin operations to search for bodies.
2. The digging of trenches by technical and financial partners to secure the sites is strictly prohibited. SAEMAPE clarified that this practice is now forbidden because it is likely to cause environmental damage and, as the incident demonstrates, human tragedies.

Earlier in the day, an unrelated incident occurred: the plane carrying the Minister of Mines, Louis Watum Kabamba , to the site of the tragedy crashed at Kolwezi airport. Fortunately, there were no casualties.