KCM refunds wrongly deducted PAYE
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Fri 29 Nov. 2013, 14:00 CAT
KONKOLA Copper Mines has refunded all affected employees PAYE deductions that were wrongly effected in the month of October.
Recently, the KCM payroll system was marred with irregularities and salary discrepancies of its mineworkers, with stakeholders and the government blaming the new Systems Application Products-Human Capital Management (SAP-HCM) technology that was introduced by management.
Mineworkers from different Integrated Business Units (IBUs) of KCM complained that they were getting little money as salary, sometimes just half of their usual salaries due to irregularities in the payroll system.
In a memo addressed to all KCM employees, acting vice-president for Human Capital Management, Eve Banda, said the refund was with effect from November 2013 and the balance of Pay As you Earn (PAYE) would no longer be deducted.
"This is to advise that the PAYE deducted under the Code 526D from employees in the month of October 2013 had been refunded to all affected employees...This will be displayed on the deduction side of the statement under the payroll Code 526D-PAYE recovery which would show a negative deduction and negative balance amount signifying total reversal," the memo read in part.
In September, deputy minister of Mines Richard Musukwa said KCM was expected to show seriousness regarding the issue of pay anomalies, as it was a responsibility of the company to demonstrate competence and proficiency in the management of salaries for its employees.
Labels: KCM, PAYE, RICHARD MUSUKWA, TAX EVASION
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KCM has insulted govt - Musukwa
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Mon 11 Nov. 2013, 14:01 CAT
MINES deputy minister Richard Musukwa says KCM management has persistently insulted the intelligence of the government by giving flimsy and inconsistent reasons over its intentions of mass layoffs.
Meanwhile, ZEMA is investigating KCM and other mining houses on latest reports of pollution of the Kafue River, the Mwambashi stream and other sources of water supply on the Copperbelt.
The government has since announced plans to constitute a team of experts to investigate KCM's operations.
In an interview in Kitwe, Musukwa said the investors in KCM had seriously disappointed the government with their behaviour and the manner in which they wanted to blackmail the government through maneuvers to retrench over 1,500people.
"They gave reasons for their latest intentions to layoff our people as automation, mechanisation and dwindling grades of the ore. The dwindling grades of the ore are a common scenario in a mining operation and it cuts across all mining companies. Any best mining operation of a world class nature like as KCM as it claimed, should be able to plan and organise operations at the lowest price and the lowest grade of the metal and that's how the copper business is managed because it is very unpredictable," Musukwa said.
"These reasons that KCM is advancing today, in case they have forgotten, are different from those they gave five months ago when they wanted to retrench 2,000 people."
He said five months ago, KCM did not mention anything to do with its plans to take the route of automation, mechanisation and challenges of dwindling grades but rather gave a set of different reasons such as fluctuating copper prices and challenges to appreciate various tax incentives that the government had put in place.
Musukwa said KCM would not be allowed to manipulate Zambians over their own mineral resources.
"People have not been very productive recently because this KCM have brought fear that they will lose jobs. People are operating as if they have no jobs, their morale is dampened. Many Zambians world over are known to be hardworking and they account for their presence at the place of work. Our wish has been that KCM must drive our people to the level of production of world class nature," Musukwa said.
Meanwhile,deputy minister of labour Rayford Mbulu said the government was managed on the premise of laws and it would not allow people to be condemned to misery by KCM and its intentions of mass layoffs.
Mbulu said KCM disrespected the government from the time it announced its intentions to cut jobs of about 1,529 mineworkers through the media without even communicating to the state.
"This government is premised on laws and these laws must be respected. What we have gotten from KCM is embarrassing to say the least. They (KCM management) must know that the employment and labour relations Act Cap 268of the laws must be respected to the latter.
And KCM breached this when they chose to go to the media before they could even engage government," said Mbulu."Acts of intransigency from KCM will never be tolerated."
KCM chief executive officer Kishor Kumar announced at a press briefing in Kitwe a week ago the company's intentions to lay off 1,529 mineworkers.
Kumar cited dwindling copper ore and the company's new route of mechanization and automation as major reasons for the layoffs.
President Michael Sata, however, warned Kumar that he would be sorted out if he attempted to fire even a single employee and that KCM's operating license would be revoked if the mining company wanted to blackmail government with mass layoffs following the decision to stop the export of copper concentrates.
On Wednesday, it was learnt that KCM had in fact terminated employment of about 76 employees, a situation that angered government.
Labour minister Fackson Shamenda later told journalists in Lusaka that government was extremely disappointed and annoyed with Kumar who had dismissed President Sata's warning that the government would revoke the company's license if it fired even one worker, as mere rhetoric.
On Friday, Kumar left the country in unclear circumstances before he could be taken to task by the government over his statement against President Sata's directive.
Vedanta Resources, the majority shareholders in KCM, have since appointed a KCM vice-president for Human Capital Management David Kaunda to act as chief executive officer in the absence of Kumar.
And in an interview yesterday, Zambia Environmental Management Agency northern region manager Patson Zulu said the matter was being seriously investigated and KCM had already been written to.
Minister of Local Government and Housing Emerine Kabanshi on Thursday warned Konkola Copper Mines over its alleged pollution of the Kafue River, saying it had resulted into the closure of two water treatment plants for Nkana Water and Sewerage Company.
"We have recorded such cases and I can say it's not only KCM, we are also investigating other mining companies, the polluters of the surface water bodies on the Copperbelt. Apparently it's not just the Kafue River but also other streams critical to human life. We have identified a number of firms that will be summoned over this pollution and we are meeting them because this is a matter of urgency and it's very serious," Zulu said.
He warned that mining companies that were culprits of the pollution would be taken to court and risked having their plants shut down for breaking the law.
Zulu said over KCM and allegations of pollution, ZEMA was closely working with the Department of Water Affairs, National Water and Sanitation Council as well as Nkana Water and Sewerage Company to establish facts and the extent of pollution.
"For KCM, we will not give more details because the matter is being investigated and we will be pre-empting the minister's statement. It's only fair that we leave it to the minister and details will be availed to you at a later stage," Zulu said.
At a press briefing in Lusaka last week, Kabanshi warned KCM that the government would deal with it firmly if it fails to stop the excessive pollution levels which had affected Mwambashi dam in Kalulushi and Mutipa stream in Chingola on the Copperbelt Province.
Kabanshi said the government will be left with no option but to shut down KCM's operations at their tailings leach plant until the company puts up remedial measures to protect people's lives.
She further said the government would not allow a situation where mining companies continue to deliberately fail to meet environmental regulations.
Kabanshi, who on Saturday visited NWSC in Kitwe, directed KCM to take its environmental protection obligations seriously and stop discharging mining effluents carelessly.
Labels: DAVID KAUNDA, FDI, KCM, RICHARD MUSUKWA, TAX EVASION
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No oil reserves have been detected, says Musukwa
By Kabanda Chulu
Fri 19 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
MINES deputy minister Richard Musukwa says no oil reserves have been detected in any district in the country. And health deputy minister Patrick Chikusu says government is formulating regulation to ensure that traditional medicines complement conventional ones.
Responding to PF Kaputa member of parliament Maxas Ng'onga who asked for an update on oil exploration, Musukwa responded that the government demarcated blocks and issued licences to prospective investors.
"At the moment there are no oil reserves in the country, there are no discoveries yet and drilling of oil will only commence when oil reserves of economic value are discovered," he said.
But Monze UPND member of parliament Jack Mwiimbu asked why the government excited the nation by claiming that samples taken to Germany were positive for oil.
Musukwa responded that there was a difference between occurrence of deposits and actual discovery of oil reserves.
"Government through Geological Survey Department between 2007 and 2010 carried out microbial prospecting technique to assess the potential of oil and gas in the country. The principle behind microbial prospecting for oil and gas technique is that oil and gas deposits emit a stream of hydrocarbon gases to the surface of the earth," Musukwa said.
"Microscopic bacteria known as hydrocarbon oxidising bacteria feed on the hydrocarbon gases that seep to the earth's surface from a petroleum basin. Detection of the bacteria is indicative of the presence of hydrocarbon bearing structures, and this technique has delineated areas with the potential to host oil or gas and it is this development that prompted government to demarcate areas into blocks for interested companies to bid for prospecting licences."
And Dr Chikusu said the process to amend the food and poisons Act and presentation of the Traditional Healers Bill to Parliament have reached advanced stages.
"It is government's wish to see traditional medicines complement conventional medicines but we need legal framework to regulate these practices where some people are giving out medicines anyhow," he said.
Lukulu West UPND member of parliament Misheck Mutelo asked if traditional healers had papers to practice divinity and witch finding because they were causing problems in villages.
Health minister Joseph Kasonde said the two issues were different but the government would include everything in the proposed regulation.
"Divinity has to do with spiritual while healing is something else but our regulations shall define requirements for people intending to practice," he said.
Labels: FUEL, MAXAS NG'ONGA, OIL, PATRICK CHIKUSU, RICHARD MUSUKWA
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