By Kei Emmanuel Duku
One Chinese has died and three nationals critical injured from a severe bee attack on Wednesday, in Kapoeta South County, Eastern Equatoria State.
In confirmation, Kapoeta South County Commissioner, Paulo Lokole said the incident occurred while the workers were clearing land for a new gold mining operation.
According to the commissioner, Chinese engineers from Nakeke Gold Mining Company Limited were constructing an access road to a new mining area.
Deep in the forest, a grader operator attempted to push down a tree housing a large bee colony. The agitated bees subsequently attacked the driver and other workers present.
“Three workers who were equally stung by the bees are currently admitted at Kapoeta Civil Hospital. Unfortunately, the driver, who was directly affected by the bees, passed away while receiving treatment,” Lokole stated.
The Commissioner further explained that the attack on the gold miners occurred at Lolemu Boma, Longeleya Payam, within Eastern Equatoria State.
He clarified that Nakeke Gold Mining Company is a new entity that recently ventured into the gold business in Kapoeta South County. The company is owned by Dr. Wang, a Chinese national, with the name “Nakeke” derived from the local dialect of the area.
Lokole confirmed that work at the new gold mining site has come to a standstill since the incident happened. He emphasized that Nakeke Gold Mining Company has obtained the necessary legal documentation to commence gold exploration and mining in the region, making it the first gold mining company to begin operations there.
As of December 2023, the government of South Sudan had issued 74 exploration licenses, with 41 companies reportedly active, although some licenses have expired or are pending revocation. Several of these companies hold concessions in Eastern Equatoria State.
Previous reports from local outlets indicate that no formal, large-scale gold mining is taking place in South Sudan.
The primary activity is artisanal (small-scale, traditional) mining by local communities, with foreign companies generally engaged in exploration work rather than full-scale extraction.