By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA –
LUBAMBE Copper Mine (LCM) in Chililabombwe will retain 220 out of the 407 miners to be laid off by Murray and Roberts Cementation-Zambia (MRC-Z) following the expiry of their contract this month-end.
LCM Human Resources manager Lewis Chola said only 187 miners were bound to become redundant this month-end.
Mr Chola said in a statement yesterday that LCM made a business decision to terminate contract mining by MRC-Z at the end of this month and replace it with owner mining beginning next month.
“The rational is to be more cost effective in terms of resources, both human and equipment,” Mr Chola said.
He said this was done in accordance with the contractual agreements entered into between LCM and MRC-Z and in compliance with governing laws.
To ensure the continuance of production at Lubambe Mine, about 220 of the MRC-Z employees would be re-deployed by LCM.
Mr Chola said MRC-Z had also been undertaking underground construction works at Lubambe Mine, employing 62 people and that these works were expected to be completed by this month-end.
He said MCR-Z combined the management services for both contracts, saying that these management services for which the company had engaged 187 employees, would no longer be required at the cessation of the contracts.
“Lubambe will in no way subcontract the same mining to other contractors, but will do its own mining,” he said.
