Maravi

Protesting Luanshya miners demand return of equipment

Protesting Luanshya miners demand return of equipment
Written by Zumani Katasefa, Speedwell Mupuchi and Fridah Zinyama
Friday, January 09, 2009 5:31:51 AM

IRATE Luanshya miners yesterday protested and camped at Luanshya Copper Mine (LCM) general offices demanding the return of the razarbolla, equipment used to drill ventilation holes underground, which was removed by management.

But LCM chief executive officer Derrick Webbstock who confirmed the development said the razarbolla was lent to a Zambian company to do work for NFC Africa Mining.

The miners gathered at LCM offices where they demanded to be addressed by mines minister Maxwell Mwale who visited the mine yesterday.

The miners submitted a petition to Luanshya member of parliament Simon Kachimba who also addressed them, demanding the return of the razarbolla.

They vowed not to move from the LCM offices until the equipment was returned.

The miners on Tuesday tried to block management from removing the razarbolla from underground, but failed to do so.

Yesterday morning, the miners gathered as early as 06:00 hours, demanding that the investor returns the razarbolla equipment removed from Baluba underground mine on Tuesday.

The workers, led by Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) Luanshya branch officials, said they had suffered a lot and that they would not sit idle and see assets being stripped off by an investor who had abandoned them.

And addressing the workers, Mwale called for an end to asset stripping and directed the Copperbelt provincial police command to deploy more police officers in Luanshya to safeguard mine assets.

“There is asset stripping. It should come to an end,” he said. “People of Luanshya have exhibited ownership of the assets here.”

He said the government was committed to the affairs of Luanshya town and was working hard to find a way forward for LCM.

Mwale added that the government was committed to see to it that Chambishi metals, LCM’s sister company, was reopened.

And Copperbelt minister Mwansa Mbulakulima urged miners not to politicise the problems at the mine.

And MUZ general secretary Oswell Munyenyembe said union officials in Luanshya informed him that the razarbolla was destined for Chambishi.

“But the question is that the mine in Chambishi is not an underground one, so where is this equipment going?” he wondered.

However, Webbstock said the razarbolla machine had been rented to a Zambian company doing works at Chambishi NFC.

“The people will fabricate their own stories over this situation,” said Webbstock. “When it finishes the job, it will be returned [to LCM].”

Webbstock said the razarbolla had since been delivered in Chambishi.

He further called the claims by MUZ that the company was tripping assets from the mine as ‘rubbish and nonsensical’.

‘If the union has something to say, it is better that they come to management and say it than discuss their grievances in the media,” he said.

Webbstock said all the assets were still in place and no one had stripped and sold anything.

But a source within LCM said the shareholders in LCM - BSG and IMR - had mine interests in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo where it was rumoured the razarbolla was destined.

“If these people want to leave, they should leave and not leave us in tatters, even worse than they found us,” said the source.

And sources at the troubled mine said some contractors who were engaged for some works had not yet moved out their earth moving equipment from underground despite their contracts being terminated.

Meanwhile, miners have complained that MUZ national leaders on Wednesday summoned the Luanshya branch officials with intent to charge them for issuing statements to the press regarding the problems at LCM without permission from the national leadership.

But Munyenyembe dismissed complaints from the miners saying the meeting at which the branch union officials were called was a routine one.

Labels: JOBLOSSES, LUANSHYA COPPER MINES, MINERS, STRIKE

posted by MrK @ 5:32 AM