By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA –
KONKOLA Copper Mines (KCM) operations at Nchanga Mine in Chingola were yesterday paralysed after over 3, 000 miners belonging to contractors engaged by KCM, downed tools demanding for improved salaries and conditions of service.
The protesting miners refused to go underground and assembled at the KCM plant’s entrance in the morning around 06:00 hours before embarking on a procession to the District Commissioner’s office.
Alert police however intercepted the miners after they had only marched a short distance covering about 400 meters from the plant.
KCM spokesperson Shapi Shachinda and Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) deputy general secretary George Mumba confirmed the protest separately.
Mr Shachinda said in a statement that some miners belonging to KCM’s contractors operating at Nchanga yesterday morning staged a peaceful demonstration outside the plants entrance they converged.
“Employees of some of Konkola Copper Mine’s contractors operating at Nchanga have expressed concerns over their conditions of service. This morning some contractor employees
converged peacefully outside the gate,” Mr Shachinda said.
He, however, said KCM had been in dialogue with the contractors’ management and the relevant union representatives to address some of the concerns.
“This dialogue is on-going and we are expecting to find a resolution to the issues shortly,” he said without giving further details.
Mr Mumba said the protest by the miners was over unresolved remuneration grievances by the contractors’ employees at KCM.
“The protest first erupted a few weeks ago when a group of miners damaged some property at KCM Nchanga Flats over poor working conditions.
“The miners are demanding that their salaries should be increased and that KCM should put them on permanent employment,” Mr Mumba said.