Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

Illegal Gold Mining in South Sudan

“In one particular year, the three counties have gotten over $50 million and none of that money has gotten into the national budget,” said Boboya James, secretary-general of the Civil Society Coalition for Natural Resources, revealing the scale of unregulated gold mining in Eastern Equatoria State.

The report, unveiled in Juba, investigates the rampant mining activities in Budi County, Kapoeta East, and Kapoeta South, which remain largely unchecked with licenses primarily issued for assessments rather than for actual mining operations.

Our assessment indicated that the gold mining is becoming a problem in those counties.

Boboya James, Civil Society Coalition for Natural Resources

This illicit activity has led to severe consequences. “We’ve seen a lot of young people not going to school. We’ve seen a lot of gender-based violence. For example, we’ve registered over 400 cases of gender-based violence associated with gold mining and that becomes a problem in that area,” Boboya added.

The findings of the study also highlight that the involvement of foreign nationals, including Chinese, Kenyans, Ethiopians, and Somalis, has compounded the regulatory challenges in the mining sector. These operations persist with minimal oversight, contributing to its clandestine nature.

Despite its rich mineral deposits, the region continues to lag in development, with the wealth generated from these resources not reaching the local communities. The report also points to the involvement of individuals linked to the highest levels of government, including the Presidency and the Economic Cluster.

Tragedy struck recently when a mine collapse, allegedly connected to a former general and government official, resulted in the deaths of three people. This incident underscores the perilous conditions under which illegal mining is conducted.

The coalition is advocating for increased transparency and accountability in the mining industry. They urge for a system where mining revenues are directly invested back into local development projects, much like the frameworks proposed for oil-producing regions where locals have long demanded a fairer distribution of resources.

Implementing such changes, the organization suggests, could alleviate some of the dire socioeconomic issues sparked by the unchecked exploitation of natural resources. They call on both national and state governments to take decisive action to reform the mining sector and ensure the benefits derived from it are equitably shared.