NUM Statement on DRC Cobalt Mine Tragedy: A Call for Accountability and Safety

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) conveys its deepest and most profound condolences to the families and communities affected by the devastating bridge collapse at a cobalt mine in Lualaba province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), last Saturday.

This tragedy, which resulted in the confirmed deaths of 32 informal miners, is a heartbreaking reminder of the extreme risks workers face daily. Our thoughts remain with the recovery teams as the search continues for any miners who may still be missing in the flooded pit.

Urgent Demand for Investigation

NUM General Secretary Mpho Phakedi stated: "One death is one death too many. The sheer scale of this loss, compounded by the alleged unsafe construction of a makeshift bridge across a flooded trench, demands immediate and comprehensive action. We call on the DRC government to launch an urgent, transparent investigation to determine the root cause of this disaster and ensure all those responsible are held fully accountable."

Condemnation of Unsafe Practices

This incident throws a harsh light on the unregulated and dangerous conditions prevalent in the DRC's cobalt sector, which produces over 70% of the world's supply—a critical component in batteries for electric vehicles, laptops, and mobile phones.

The NUM strongly condemns:

• Hazardous Working Conditions: The reliance on makeshift, dangerous infrastructure that leads to mass fatalities.
• The Estimated 200,000+ Informal Miners working in giant, often illegal, mines without proper safety protocols or protections.
• The Pervasive Issues of Child Labour and Corruption, which continue to cast a shameful shadow over the DRC's mineral wealth.

Global Commitment to Zero Harm

While this tragedy occurred in the DRC, the safety of all miners across the continent is the NUM's core mandate.

"As the NUM, we reiterate our call to all miners in South Africa and across Africa to exercise their right to refuse to work in dangerous conditions," added Phakedi. "The NUM will continue to fight relentlessly for the principle of Zero Harm and Zero Fatalities throughout South Africa and the African continent."

The exploitation of the DRC's mineral wealth must no longer be at the cost of human lives or fuel the decades-long conflicts that have ravaged the country's eastern region. Safety and human dignity must come before profit.

For more detailed information, please contact:

Mpho Phakedi, NUM General Secretary, 082 882 3452

Livhuwani Mammburu, NUM National Spokesperson, 083 809 3257

The National Union of Mineworkers
7 Rissik Street.
Cnr Frederick Johannesburg
Tel: 011 377 2111 Cell: 083 809 3257
Twitter: @Num_Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/NUM/10086002340216