Summary
Highlights
Juvenal, a truck driver, faces treacherous roads and extortion attempts on his journey. His truck struggles to cross a dilapidated bridge, leading to an unwanted confrontation with villagers demanding payment for an alternative route. Despite the risks, Juvenal and his mechanics forcefully take the detour, knowing that if they get stuck, no local help will be offered without payment.
The video highlights the dire state of infrastructure in Congo, where roads have not been rebuilt for years, making travel an endless challenge. The journey for Juvenal's team to Shabunda, a mere 43 miles, can take anywhere from five days to three weeks, showcasing the immense courage required to navigate these government-abandoned routes. The truck experiences numerous breakdowns, underscoring the severity of the conditions.
Shabunda, an isolated town, faces exorbitant prices for goods due to its inaccessibility. Petrol costs £4 a liter, and even basic food items, flown in by small planes, are three to four times more expensive than elsewhere in the country. Residents like David, a grocer, struggle to make a minimal profit, relying on the fact that people have no other choice but to buy these overpriced necessities.
Flying to Shabunda, though faster, is also fraught with peril. The landing strip is located in the middle of the city, with people frequently crossing it, leading to tragic accidents, including a child being hit by a plane. The lack of proper equipment in the control tower, with only a CB radio for communication, further escalates the risks for pilots and residents alike.
Junior takes over for Juvenal, facing similar challenges. The journey is not just for goods; it also serves as a lifeline for people like Maria and her family, who cannot afford plane tickets and must endure the truck's arduous travel conditions. They pay £10 each for a spot in the wagon, highlighting the extreme measures people take to escape the tough life in Shabunda.
Junior's journey is marked by an incident where a mechanic gets into a drunken fight over money and is arrested, leaving the team shorthanded. Despite the hardships, including getting stuck in a ditch early in their journey, some, like Duer, believe in laughing through the pain to ward off bad luck, showcasing the resilience and survival spirit of the Congolese people.
The video introduces Francois and his brother, who push a bicycle laden with 250 kilograms of food for 87 miles to feed their family, symbolizing the desperation and resourcefulness of the region's inhabitants. They lament the government's inaction in repairing roads, which forces them into unbearable labor for meager earnings. They encounter Junior's stuck truck, emphasizing the shared struggles across different modes of transport.
Shabunda's continued existence is fueled by "gold fever." The Ulindi River is rich in gold, attracting thousands of miners despite the dangers. The local gold market thrives, though profits are significantly higher elsewhere. Miners like Gutie face extreme risks, including fatal boat accidents and armed groups, mirroring a "Wild West" atmosphere. Kojak, a diving miner, risks his life daily for a few grams of gold, illustrating the precariousness of their livelihood.
The gold rush brings severe environmental and social consequences. Congolese miners are exploited by gangs, and Chinese companies, backed by corrupt officials and armed groups, use efficient dredges, depleting resources and polluting the river with mercury. Local miners like Kojak remain poor, with little benefit from the region's vast mineral wealth, and the contaminated river serves as their only water source, leading to long-term health issues they fail to acknowledge.
Junior's truck finally breaks free from the mud after 10 hours, but the journey to Mugembe is far from over, with only three miles covered in a day. The mechanics, like Beyanfae, are physically and financially exhausted, earning minimal wages for journeys that can last weeks. The road remains hazardous, with armed groups posing a constant threat of hijacking. The scarcity of resources forces a stop for water, highlighting the basic needs that become luxuries on these deadly routes.
In a display of self-reliance, local villagers, without government support, attempt to repair the roads with basic tools, earning a meager £2 a day. They express frustration over the government's neglect of South Kivu, contrasting it with other provinces that receive development aid. The journey forces extreme measures, like Junior threatening to run over motorcyclists blocking his path due to his truck's faulty brakes, further demonstrating the chaos and desperation on the road.
Junior's nine-day journey to Mugembe is symptomatic of the endless struggle faced by people in South Kivu. The drivers' exhaustion and frustration are palpable, as they express their desire to quit if better roads existed. Despite its mineral riches, the region remains trapped in isolation, plagued by armed groups and corruption, making modernity an impossible dream for its youth.