Maravi

‘Luanshya Copper Mines has produced copper valued at $12m since inception’

‘Luanshya Copper Mines has produced copper valued at $12m since inception’
By Zumani Katasefa in Luanshya
Tue 13 Apr. 2010, 04:50 CAT

CHINA Non-Ferrous Mining Cooperation (CNMC) Luanshya Copper Mines (PLC) has produced about 12000 tonnes of copper concentrates valued at approximately US $12 million since its inception.

And chairperson of the parliamentary committee on government assurances Chishimba Kambwili who is also Roan member of parliament has given CNMC Luanshya Copper Mines (PLC) a 30-day ultimatum in which to re-employ all miners who belonged to former owners of the mine.

CNMC Luanshya Copper Mines deputy chief executive director Robert Kamanga told members of the parliamentary committee on Saturday that the company was producing about 2500 tonnes of copper concentrates per month.

Kamanga said at the moment the company was not selling the concentrates but was just stock pilling the produce which contains copper and cobalt.

And CNMC Luanshya Copper Mines head of human relations Loti Chola said the company had employed 1446 ex-Luanshya Company Mine miners, and 661 from service contractors.

“We have also sourced 341 employees from the open market,” he said.

Chola also disclosed that the lowest paid surface workers was getting about K1.2 million while the lowest paid underground worker was getting K1.4 million.

And Kambwili gave management at the Chinese owned mine a 30-day ultimatum in which to employee all the miners who were formerly employed by LCM.

“Mines minister (Maxwell Mwale) had said that all the miners who were employed by LCM would be reemployed by the new investor of this mine except those who are over aged, so as a committee on government assurances we are making a follow up to that. And we are giving you 30-days ultimatum in which to employee these people,” he said.

Kambwili wondered why the new owners of Luanshya mine had not employed the remaining 32 former Luanshya miners.

He wondered why the company had decided to go and source for employees on the open market leaving the workers who previously served at the mine even in view of the government assurance that all former workers would be re-employed.

Kambwili also said that he had received complaints from workers engaged by a Chinese contracting firm, Exploration Mining, contracted by CNMC Luanshya Copper Mines that they were being paid between K180,000 and K350,000 per month.

“So far you (CNMC Luanshya Copper Mines PLC) have given us hope for employing most of the people here, but you should talk to your contractors and advise them on how to pay workers. Some people may not know that Exploration Mine is different from you, they will just think it is a Chinese company and that will paint a bad image about you,” he said.

He said Exploration Mine was also asking workers to provide their own protecting clothing before they could be engaged.

And Mkushi South Constituency member of parliament Sydney Chisanga urged Zambian managers at the mining company not to mislead the Chinese investors.

“Our Zambian technocrats have let us down, you need to advise our investors correctly,” he said.

Meanwhile, National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) Mpatamato branch chairperson Adams Zulu complained of the communication barrier between the Chinese and Zambian workers.

Zulu said it was difficult to communicate with the Chinese as most of the time they were using Chinese.

He disclosed that most of the correspondences at the mine were done in Chinese.

Zulu also said that the Chinese were also not recognising the gazzetted Zambian holidays adding that they had even substituted the Zambians holidays with the Chinese holidays.

Labels: ADAMS ZULU, CHINESE, CHISHIMBA KAMBWILI, LOTI CHOLA, LUANSHYA COPPER MINES, NUMAW

posted by MrK @ 3:15 PM