South Kivu Governor Warns of Fake Mining Documents Circulated from Bujumbura
On Thursday, May 1, 2025, South Kivu Governor Jean-Jacques Purusi issued a formal letter to the heads of the Territorial and Urban-Territorial Mining Offices, raising alarm over the circulation of falsified mining documents reportedly produced outside the province, particularly in Bujumbura, Burundi.
According to the governor, several unauthorized and counterfeit documents—including receipt books, vignettes, trader cards, and artisanal mining operator cards—have been identified.
These materials, he said, were printed without the knowledge or authorization of the Provincial Government and lack the legally required signature of the Provincial Minister of Mines, Professor Bitijula.
“These documents do not comply with Articles 117 (paragraph 2) and 11bis of the Mining Code, as well as Article 230 of the Mining Regulations,” Purusi stated.
He emphasized that their use constitutes both a violation of mining legislation and a diversion of provincial revenues, which are not being deposited into official government accounts.
To address the issue, the governor has instructed that only documents bearing the signature of the Provincial Minister of Mines be recognized and used.
He further directed that all official printed materials be distributed exclusively through authorized agents of the Provincial Division of Mines and Geology, under the supervision of the relevant ministerial hierarchy.
The letter concluded by noting that valid printed materials, produced in Kinshasa—not Bujumbura—along with a detailed service note, would soon be dispatched to local offices to ensure proper compliance and oversight.
