The government of the Central African Republic officially closed a gold mining site on Saturday following a catastrophic collapse earlier this week that resulted in the deaths of more than 100 people. The incident also left several others injured.
Ruffin Benam Beltoungou, the minister of mines and geology, announced the closure of the Zamboye site, located in the country's western region. The government's decision was based on what the minister described as a failure to adhere to administrative directives and mining standards. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collapse remains ongoing.
Reports indicate that the Zamboye site had been officially closed prior to the accident, but illegal miners had continued to operate at the location. Search and rescue efforts following the disaster were significantly hindered by a lack of specialized equipment and expertise suitable for the scale of the collapse.
Commenting on the situation, Quentin Ngbouando, leader of the civil society organization I Gwe, noted that while the minister’s decision was expected and logical, the illegal miners involved had been operating entirely outside the legal framework.
