Next Thursday at midnight, South African mines will halt their production for 21 days, the duration of the lockdown imposed on the entire country by Cyril Ramaphosa's government. This is a historic, unprecedented decision in this major African mining country. But it was deemed essential to slow the spread of coronavirus, given the close quarters of employees in the mines, many of which are underground in South Africa.

Mines at a standstill except for coal

The deposits will be put into maintenance to prevent, for example, them from being flooded. Only coal mines will continue to produce to supply what remains the country's primary source of electricity.

Salaries of South African miners

The mining sector accounts for 25% of South African GDP, notes Claude Katemba, director of Southern Africa Resource Watch, reached by RFI. And it employs half a million people, who find themselves unemployed. The question will now arise of financing their salaries, which must be maintained. Mining companies may dig into their pockets to help the state.

In DRC production is not interrupted, for now

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it remains unclear whether the state of emergency decreed by Félix Tshisekedi will have equally drastic consequences. In DRC, the mining sector is even more strategic: it contributes 80% to the state's revenues. Only one certainty: connections between Kinshasa, the capital, and the provinces are cut off. Two mining provinces, Haut Katanga and Lualaba, had already decided Monday to close their borders for 48 hours after two suspected cases of coronavirus.

Hygiene measures

But with no impact on copper and cobalt production, according to the Congolese subsidiary of Glencore, reached by RFI. Kamoto Copper Company notes only "a temporary halt to the export of cobalt hydroxide and copper cathode". It says it has implemented "increased hygiene measures: work areas disinfected, hand washing facilities, social distancing, temperature checks on site, travel restrictions from areas outside Kolwezi…"

The question remains whether prolonged border restrictions will allow companies to continue producing and thus to employ personnel in these mining regions of Congo.