By Darious Kapembwa in Kitwe
Thu 07 Nov. 2013, 14:00 CAT
ILLEGAL miners popularly known as 'Jerabos' on Tuesday attacked miners working at Konkola Copper Mines Nchanga Open Pit Cut II leaving five seriously injured.
Two of the KCM employees and a security officer belonging to Magnum Security Company are admitted to Nchanga South hospital while two were treated and discharged.
KCM public relations manager Joy Sata disclosed in a statement that the 'Jerabos' accused the miners of having buried a 25 kilogramme bag they used to carry the stolen copper ore.
She named those admitted to the hospital as Crispin Bwali 35, a RTV operator, Lubinda Liyungu 52, a Dozer operator and Amos Siame 26, a security guard, while Anthony Chisi 29, and Victor Musonda 29 were the ones that were discharged.
"In the first incident, four miners who were part of the shift of seven employees moving an electric shovel from the pit to the mine workshop, sustained injuries after 10 illegal miners, who were in the company of 20 others, armed with stones and bricks attacked them at 07:30 hours," Sata stated.
She stated that in the second incident, the security guard who was manning the pit was attacked at 11:00 hours.
"The illegal miners, also allegedly offered K150 as inducement for them to be allowed to cut a 3.5 kv cable and when the miners refused, the illegal miners started hurling insults at them. Upon sensing danger, one of the miners tried to call security and it was at this point that the illegal miners got into rage and attacked the four while three managed to escape," she stated.
Sata lamented that it was no longer safe for miners to go to work and that security had been heightened within and around the pits to ensure safety of miners.
Read more...
posted by MrK @ 3:10 PM
0 Comments
