Gold miners at a site in Kapoeta | Credit | Courtesy
Three people are said to have
died, and three others sustained injuries in a gold mining well that collapsed
on them in Lachelagur Boma of Katiko Payam of Kapoeta South County in Eastern
Equatoria State.
According to Kapoeta South
County Commissioner Paul Lokale, the incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon. He
said one person survived with no injuries.
“Those who sustained injuries
are receiving treatment at Kapoeta Civil Hospital; however, one is in critical
condition,” Lokale told Singaita 88.3 FM.
The survivors have been
identified as Lotor, 18 years old; Lopuke Lowi, 20 years old; and Lokorai, 25
years old. The deceased have not been identified.
“[The] locals are doing local
mining in that area; the hole collapsed on seven people, three died inside and
three were injured, one is safe without injuries.”
The official urges the locals
to take precautions while mining gold.
“We urge our locals to take
care and avoid digging the hot deeply because this will cause problems like the
one that has happened,” he urged.
Kapoeta Civil Hospital
administrator Ajok Daniel told Singaita FM on Wednesday morning they received
the four victims from the mining site at the hospital at around 4pm evening.
“We have received them in the
hospital at midday hours; they are four in number, one has minor injuries and
two have major injuries; one is now in critical condition, for which a referral
is needed to Juba. We gave them antibiotics, but the one in critical condition
will be taken to Torit or Juba for further treatment; the two will manage here
in Kapoeta hospital,” Ajok Daniel said.
Experts say South Sudan has the
most important and best-known sites for artisanal and small-scale gold mining
found mainly in the Kapoeta area, Budi County, and the Luri River basin of
Central and Eastern Equatoria states.
Locals primarily use
traditional mining techniques, panning for gold from seasonal streams in
various villages.
Some estimates put the number
of miners at 60,000 working at 80 different locations in the area, including
Nanaknak, Lauro (Didinga Hills), Napotpot, and Namurnyang. The work provides
miners’ families resources to support their basic needs.
According to a report by the
Enough Project in 2020, the gold mining sector in the Kapoeta area has been
criminalized. It noted that despite its legal framework, South
Sudan’s gold sector remains ungoverned and poorly regulated.