Snapshot: The Kalongwe copper and cobalt project is located in the Kolwezi region of Lualaba Province, in the southern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The mine is operated by Kalongwe Mining SA, a joint venture in which the majority stake is held by Chengtun Mining Group, a Chinese company. Workers have reported allegations of serious human rights abuses, including unsafe working conditions, low pay, racial discrimination, and lack of access to basic necessities at the mining camp. These concerns have led to formal legal action and repeated labour strikes.

In November 2022, the Centre d’Aide Juridico-Judiciaire (CAJJ) filed a complaint before the Prosecutor’s Office at the Lualaba Court of Appeal. The complaint was brought by ten workers from Kalongwe Mining who chose to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation and potential job loss. The workers allege inhumane working conditions, including unsafe and precarious health and safety measures, as well as degrading treatment based on racial discrimination. They reported being subjected to physical violence and verbal abuse.

In May 2023, the group of workers initiated a strike to demand improvements to both their working and living conditions in the Kalongwe Mining site. Their demands included fair wage increases, better hygiene facilities, sufficient food supplies, reliable access to water, and transportation for staff mobility. Following negotiations with the company’s CEO, the workers were promised improvements by the end of June. However, according to the workers, the company failed to implement these commitments; instead, the situation worsened, with further reduction in salaries.

In October 2023, a second strike was launched in response to the company’s failure to deliver on its commitments. This protest was met with violence, workers were reportedly forced back to work through threats, the presence of armed personnel, and physical intimidation. In light of these serious escalations, representatives of the workers appealed to the provincial government of Lualaba for immediate intervention. A meeting was held between the workers’ delegation and provincial authorities, during which the workers requested protection and urged the government to investigate the company’s actions. The provincial authorities expressed concern and committed to follow up on the case, but to date, no substantial measures have been reported.

The case is ongoing.