Maravi

KCM workers riot over salary increment

KCM workers riot over salary increment
By Zumani Katasefa and Speedwell Mupuchi in Chingola
Thu 12 Nov. 2009, 04:01 CAT

KONKOLA Copper Mine (KCM) workers yesterday went on rampage blocking some streets and burning two trucks and workers' quarters for Yangts Jiang Contractors, in their continued demands for a salary increment. The miners fought running battles with police officers while others looted bags of mealie-meal from Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) mealie-meal distribution centres.

What started as a peaceful protest within the mine premises exploded into a chaotic one after police in riot gear fired teargas to disperse the miners who wanted to stop their colleagues working at the new smelter.

A union official who did not want to be named said things worsened as all miners never went underground. He said all workshops were not operating while only a section of the new smelter was operational.

The official said police officers in riot gear deployed at the new smelter fired teargas at the miners who were advancing towards the new smelter.

He said the miners then ran amok, going outside the plant to the India Villa, where Indians are accommodated.

"The pressure is out of the plant into the residences now. The crowd has gone amok, even some shops have not opened fearing a situation like the 2005 one," said the official.

And some miners talked to said they were not allowed to go underground and so they started a peaceful protest inside the mine premises.

"So police officers fired teargas to scare the people and people left the plant to go to the Indian quarters. They stoned the quarters and looted a few items," said the miner who did not want to be identified.

The miners said there was no way Indian workers at KCM should be paid much better than the Zambian employees.

"Indians are given food, they are accommodated, they are given loans while us we have to scrounge around! Is this fair? An Indian gets US $6000 while a Zambian employee gets US $500 but they are doing the same job," complained the miners.

The miners also demanded the removal of their human resources manager, a Mutonu and another management official they called Sophia Masupha.

"The Indians are okay but it's our fellow Zambians who have betrayed us, so we don't want these two officials," said the miners found along Kitwe road.

The miners, after leaving the plant, went and burnt down two trucks and living quarters for workers belonging to Yangts Jiang a contractor engaged to construct flats for the KCM Indian workers.

"We are not happy with what is happening; there is no way our negotiations for salaries can take so long. They were taking an excuse of the falling down of copper prices, but now the price of copper has picked up, they don't want to offer us an increment," complained one of the workers.

The miners complained that there is no way KCM could be giving contracts to foreign companies and denying Zambian contractors the same opportunity.

"They are just giving contracts to Indian companies, very few Zambian contractors have been engaged and those who are being given contracts are being underpaid," complained the workers.

They further complained that there was no way KCM could employ a welder from India and pay him a hefty salary yet there were so many qualified welders just languishing in the streets.

"This company has built flats for about 5,000 Indians, yet we the Zambian workers are paid very little," said one of the workers.

Some of the miners went into the residences where they looted mealie-meal from MUZ mealie-meal distribution centres in Nchanga North and Nsansa.

A check by The Post at Nsansa found about 180 bags of mealie-meal had been looted and documents showing records of transactions scattered outside the centre.

Nsansa MUZ mealie-meal distribution centre officer in charge Felix Katuta said he was not at the centre when the miners looted the commodity.

And at North Nchanga mealie-meal distribution centre, quick action by police prevented miners from further looting.

Armed police officers kept vigil within the town premises. Yangts Jiang workers whose houses were burnt complained that State police failed to give them maximum protection compared to the way they protected the Indians who were the target of the rampaging miners.

"The police went to protect the Indians… when the miners started burning our houses, we were made to run and hide in Nchanga Hospital. They burnt all our property including clothes," said one of the affected Yangts Jiang workers.

Other workers said they were forced to hide in a nearby toilet in fear of the violent miners.

"We don't know where we can even go and complain over our stolen and damaged property. We don't know where we are going to sleep," they complained.

Police had picked up a number of KCM miners who were found blocking roads using logs and other objects.

Labels: DEMONSTRATION, KCM, MUZ, RIOTS, SALARIES

posted by MrK @ 8:17 AM