Maravi

(LUSAKATIMES) Copperbelt illegal miners give Government a 7 days ultimatum to legalise their business

Copperbelt illegal miners give Government a 7 days ultimatum to legalise their business
TIME PUBLISHED - Tuesday, December 6, 2011, 12:57 pm

THE Small-Scale Miners Association of Zambia (SMAZ) has given the Government a seven-day ultimatum in which to address the plight of illegal miners on the Copperbelt.

The association wants Government to legalise their activities and allocate some of the dump sites in Kitwe and Chingola to illegal miners. But Minister of Mines Wilbur Simuusa said Government will soon hold discussions with small-scale miners to try and address some of their problems.

SMAZ president Simon Njovu said, at a press briefing in Kitwe yesterday, that the association is giving Government seven days in which to address the problems the association is facing in its operations.

Mr Njovu said the association wants Government to legalise small-scale mining activities which are a source of income to the unemployed youth.

He said the association has 4,319 members and that the youth are the majority due to the high unemployment levels in the country.

“As an association, we are giving the Government seven days in which to address our problems. We want the Government to legalise illegal miningactivities and to give us some of the dump sites in the province,” Mr Njovu said.

He said illegal miners risk their lives as they dig copper ore in various dump sites at awkward hours for fear of being attacked by the mine police officers.

Mr Njovu said the association has so far lost 231 members who have been buried alive while digging copper core.
He said the association wants Government to give them the dump sites at Mopani Copper Mines in Kitwe and those in Chingola so that they can start mining on a large scale basis.

He said the association wants Government to give them the dump sites at Mopani Copper Mines in Kitwe and those in Chingola so that they can start mining on a large scale basis.

Mr Njovu said once the association is empowered with the dumpsites, more employment opportunities can be created for the youth.

“If today Government gives us the dump site, we can utilise all the materials there. We can even start making pan bricks and contribute to the construction industry,” he said.

Mr Njovu also appealed to President Sata to arrange for a meeting with small-scale miners because there are many clandestine issues in the mining sector which Mr Sata needs to be aware of as head of State.

But Mr Simuusa said Government is working on modalities to try and address the problems that illegal miners face in the country.

Mr Simuusa said Government is waiting for SMAZ to elect a new executive before holding discussions with them on what should be done to improve the operations of the association.

“I’m surprised to hear that SMAZ had a press briefing to air their grievances when I’m waiting for them to usher in a new executive to address their problems. However, we are working on modalities to bring sanity and order to the small-scale mining industry,” he said.

He said Government wants to offer technical advice to illegal miners and capitalise the small-scale mining industry before the dump sites can be given out.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Labels: MINING, WYLBUR SIMUUSA

posted by MrK @ 5:02 PM