Solwezi risks becoming big shanty town - Levy
Solwezi risks becoming big shanty town - LevyBy Chris Mulaliki and Mwala Kalaluka in Solwezi
Tuesday July 31, 2007 [04:00]
PRESIDENT Levy Mwanawasa has expressed worry that Solwezi risks being turned into a big shanty town due to the current poor planning trends obtaining in the town. And President Mwanawasa has said Kansanshi Mine management pays its workers better than any other mine in the country.
Addressing miners at Kansanshi Mine after touring the facility on Sunday, President Mwanawasa said in view of this observation, the government was in the process of instituting a ministerial committee to re-design Solwezi following increased economic activities.
“I want to see beautiful houses being constructed here and you to benefit. The management has assured me that they will help the committee to re-design the town,” President Mwanawasa said.
He said Kansanshi Mine management would support the government-appointed committee with technical and financial resources. And President Mwanawasa has urged Kansanshi Mine workers to learn to engage management in dialogue whenever they had industrial-related problems.
“Kansanshi Copper Mines pays better than any mine in Zambia. That is a fact you know. You can get a lot more through dialogue. It is not encouraging that at every stage you want better conditions of service you resort to striking,” President Mwanawasa said.
He also told the miners that tomorrow he would be meeting Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) to discuss various issues relating to the working situation at the mine.
“I am aware that your conditions of service require improvement. Both the government and the management are engaged in discussions so that you can have improved conditions of service,” President Mwanawasa told the workers who were attentive.
President Mwanawasa said he was delighted that the miners called off their strike action and that he fulfilled his promise of talking to them if they called off their strike.
Two weeks ago, President Mwanawasa accused miners at Kansanshi of using the strike to blackmail management so that it does what they want and he refused to visit the mine until the workers returned to work, which they did after MUZ president Rayford Mbulu addressed them.
President Mwanawasa said it was good that the economic developments in the area were taking place during his time and that a good number of people had been employed.
Meanwhile, none of the workers at the mine run by First Quantum Minerals Limited (FQML) volunteered to express their grievances to President Mwanawasa after he requested them to do so during the brief meeting.
President Mwanawasa said he was surprised that none of the workers could marshal enough courage to express themselves before him.
“It appears that either you are afraid to express yourselves or you have no complaints to raise,” President Mwanawasa told the workers.
Some union officials from National Miners and Allied Workers Union (NUMAWU) and MUZ were present during the meeting.
And Kansanshi Mine general manager Russel Alley said FQML had managed to pay back the loans it borrowed for the construction of the mine. He said initially the mine had a workforce of 750 but within two years it grew to over 3,000 due to increased production. Alley further said some expansion projects were on going at the mine following favourable copper prices on the London Metal Exchange.
Labels: KANSANSHI MINING PLC, MINERS, MWANAWASA, SOLWEZI COUNCIL
posted by MrK @ 4:05 AM
1 Comments:
Oh yeah....! Does it need a President to make that observation? The whole country has been turned into a gigantic shanty. What is even more amazing is the way rural township have been allowed to sprawl uncontrollably into gigantic shanties. My village is only a stone throw away from unsightly planning. We have to worm our way in order to get to the village. Viva new Zambia!
slm
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home