Sporadic Riots Erupt in Chingola as Young Illegal Miners Clash with Police

Tensions boiled over in the mining town of Chingola today as a group of young illegal miners popularly called jeraboz took to the streets to protest the sale of their mining pits to alleged Chinese firms.

The crowd, which included children as young as 10 years old, descended upon the streets, tearing down posters, barricading roads, and vandalizing passing vehicles along Chingola’s Kabundi road.

The young miners mostly from Soweto and Kapisha were clearly incensed by the loss of their mining pits and resorted to violence.

In a swift response, riot police were deployed to the area, using tear gas to disperse the unruly crowd. Our reporter found herself caught in the middle of the scuffle, but was quickly shielded by the police officers as they escorted her to safety.

“It was a chaotic and frightening scene,” she recounted. “The young miners were throwing rocks and other debris, and the police had no choice but to respond with force to regain control of the situation.”

The sale of the mining pits to Chinese firms has been a contentious issue in the community. The illegal miners, who have long relied on the pits as a source of income, are now facing an uncertain future as their access to the land has been restricted.

As the dust settles, authorities are expected to investigate the incident and take measures to address the underlying tensions in the community.

InfinityMediaHub

17th July, 2024