A new environmental incident is causing concern in Fungurume, in Lualaba province. Following the overturning on Wednesday of a lorry carrying acid, a significant fish kill has been observed in the Dipeta River, according to local civil society groups, who fear contamination of the water used by riverside communities.

The lorry, travelling from Lubumbashi towards Fungurume, overturned near the Tenke Fungurume Mining (TFM) base. A quantity of acid then spilled into the Dipeta River, causing several fish found floating on the water’s surface to die moments later.

For Gauthier Kavwamba, coordinator of the Fungurume Civil Society Consultative Forum, this incident has reignited concerns about the management of chemical transport in the region.

“We observed a significant fish kill in the Dipeta River following the acid spill. What worries us most is the recurrence of such incidents and the lack of sufficiently effective measures to protect communities,” he says.

Civil society believes that the Dipeta River is not an isolated case. It also cites similar incidents on other watercourses, notably the Kalweji River, near TFM’s 30K plant, and the Digulwe River.

Gauthier Kavwamba also criticizes what he sees as the lack of a sustainable response to support the communities affected by previous incidents.

“Whenever these accidents occur, the cases are dealt with in offices, but the riverside communities who bear the direct consequences are often left without a satisfactory response,” he laments.

Civil society organizations highlight in particular the case of the Kelangile River, where an acid spill in 2024, they claim, affected aquatic wildlife and the activities of market gardeners based along the river’s banks.

It is calling on the authorities and the companies concerned to take urgent action: to secure the affected areas, assess the environmental impacts, prevent any consumption of potentially contaminated water, and strengthen safety measures for the transport of chemicals.

Written by Noé KALEMEKO