Foreign mining giants in DR Congo are scrambling for more time on a rule that would hand Congolese workers a 5% stake, while unions say the deadline is July 31 and the time for waiting is over.

Miners in the Democratic Republic of Congo are asking the government to hold off on a directive that would force them to give Congolese employees a 5% equity stake. Unions, however, want it enforced right away. The deadline is July 31, and tensions are rising, cbinews.tv reports.

A union leader confirmed that no company has complied yet, even as authorities ramp up efforts to get more local participation in a mining sector still dominated by foreign investors. Congo is the world’s top cobalt producer and the second largest copper producer.

This is part of a wider trend. African governments are pushing for a bigger slice of mineral wealth as commodity prices climb. Congo’s rule reinforces a provision that is already in the law.

A circular issued on January 30, seen by Reuters this month, requires miners to allocate the 5% stake to Congolese workers and submit proof of compliance.

But the Chamber of Mines says big questions remain unanswered. One mining executive and two union leaders, who asked not to be named because they were not authorised to speak to the media, said it is still unclear whether existing shareholders have to transfer equity. There is also confusion over whether the rule applies retroactively to operations that have been running for years.

Major players including Eurasian Resources Group, Ivanhoe, Glencore, and China’s CMOC met with the chamber on June 11 to coordinate a response, the executive said. Glencore and Ivanhoe declined to comment. CMOC and ERG did not immediately respond.

The chamber has formally asked for a moratorium to allow consultations with stakeholders. No alternative timeline has been proposed yet.

“This concern is widely shared by major companies,” the executive said, adding that many firms are still waiting for clarity on the final framework.

Congo’s mines ministry and the Chamber of Mines did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

One union leader said the mines ministry will meet unions on Friday to “explain more” about the directive.

Unions accuse the mining companies of dragging their feet. A second union leader said miners had previously allocated about 3% to worker linked schemes, but oversight of those funds lacked transparency.

“That is why the government wants them to increase it to 5%,” the second source said, adding that it could support development in mining regions.

“On the union side, we are demanding immediate implementation.”

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