Sange, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Sange is a village located in the Bafuliiru Chiefdom in the Uvira Territory of the South Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is situated 24 km (15 miles) from the Burundian border, at 1,021 meters altitude.

Geologically, the region is sandy, with sandy-loam and sandy-clay covering most of the village, making it one of the most fertile lands in Uvira Territory. The northwest basin of Lake Tanganyika, which encompasses Uvira Territory, is characterized by outcrops of very ancient (Precambrian) and very recent (Quaternary) rocks. A swift examination of Sange's morphology suggests that the region possesses black soils of the Chernozem group, Solonchak soils, and Alkali soils.

The region is widely known for its 2010 fuel tank explosion, which killed at least 235 people, including about 60 children assembled to watch the 2010 FIFA World Cup, were burned to death, and approximately 196 were injured, some of whom suffered severe burns, according to the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).

History
Historically, Sange was inhabited by the Fuliiru people who had migrated from Lwindi (now Lwindi Chiefdom) and established their settlements in the northern and northwestern areas of Uvira Territory along the Ruzizi Plain. Sange was explored in 1939 by Frédéric Hautmann, a Belgian ethnologist, explorer, and linguist. Hautmann traversed Uvira in the eastern region of the Belgian Congo, conducting research on diverse Bantu ethnic communities, including the Fuliiru, Mbuti, Bembe, Lega, and Banyarwanda (referring to both Hutu and Tutsi immigrants from Ruanda-Urundi who settled in the eastern part of the Congo Free State during the 19th century).

In his Étude ethnographique de l'Itombwe (district du Kivu, Congo Belge), Hautmann stated:"'Near Mulenghe (Mulenge), two days' walk from Sanghe (Sange), I was able to observe five of these small 'tumuli'; while crossing other villages of the Bafulero (Bafuliiru) of the mountain, I met another ten with pots with two holes, intact, broken or in last shards remains of these pots. This custom is practiced to protect the newborn from the evil mountain spirits. It is two months after the birth that we meet at the place where the placenta is buried. Parents, family members and friends celebrate a festival that lasts several days and nights. The tumulus is sprinkled with native beer.'"

2010 fuel tank explosion
On 2 July 2010, Sange experienced a tragedy that resulted in 235 fatalities and 198 injuries due to a tanker truck explosion. The tank truck, carrying 59,000 liters of gasoline from Tanzania, overturned on a narrow and dangerous road that crossed the center of Sange, 60 miles south of the city of Bukavu. The fire quickly spread from the truck, causing devastation. Some lost their lives while attempting to collect leaking fuel, while most of the deaths occurred among those who were indoors watching the FIFA World Cup match. Additionally, some individuals were caught in the fire while trying to flee and were reduced to ashes. The fire also spread to approximately 20 houses, which were primarily made of mud and covered with straw or sheet metal, resulting in their destruction.

2020 shooting
On July 31, 2020, an intoxicated FARDC (Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo; FARDC) soldier fired multiple shots, killing at least 12 people and injuring nine others in Sange in the Uvira Territory.

Temperature
The average monthly air temperature is between 22.5° and 25 °C; the monthly average daily maximum temperatures increase at the end of the dry season (30.5° to 32.5° in September), while the monthly average daily minimum temperatures are lowest during half of the dry season (14.5° to 17°C in July). The monthly relative insolation generally oscillates between 35 and 60% from October to April and between 50 and 80% from May to September, July being the sunniest month.

Agriculture
Agriculture constitutes the main economic activity and income-generating source for the region's population. The sale of agricultural products and basic necessities from Uvira, Bukavu, Burundi, Tanzania and Zambia constitutes the commercial circuit of the population in Sange and its environs. In parallel with agriculture, intensive animal husbandry of cattle, pigs, goats, and poultry is well established in the region. Small and large businesses also account for a substantial proportion of the population.