By ABIGAIL CHIYENI –
SOME 30 foreigners, most of them Chinese, were arrested yesterday in Chingola for illegal mining-related activities as a combined team of Police, Intelligence and Immigration officers swept through the copper-mining town.
While the operation was taking place, Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo, Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja, Immigration Director General Moolo Milomo and other senior provincial Zambia Army and State Intelligence officers were holding meetings with management at Konkola Copper Mines whose operations have been disrupted in recent weeks by the actions of illegal miners known as jerabos.

. Kampyongo

Two jerabos, part of a large group of mostly unemployed youth who forage for waste copper materials as well as other scrap metals in and around the mine, have been killed recently in confrontations with the police deployed to help protect KCM assents and the lives of staff who have been threatened by the members of the gang.
Mr Kampyongo confirmed the arrests of more than 30 people as he briefed a team of media people who covered the visit. Sunday Times sources said the majority of those arrested were Chinese nationals.
The minister delivered a strong warning to foreigners involved in illegal mining-related operations like smelting and foundry works without owning the appropriate licences, saying they were promoting the risky business that was attracting young persons by providing a market for materials stolen from the mine.
“We are here to put to an end this criminality. Foreign investors who come into this country must work within the confines of the law. Those who break the law will be flushed out,” he said.
Mr Kampyongo said as one of Zambia’s largest employers, many families would be affected if the operations of the mines were sabotaged as a result of the continuing activities of the jerabos and the foreigners running illegal processing plants in the townships.
He called on management at KCM to strengthen security to keep the criminal element from breaking into the premises and added that the government would do its part to bring order to Chingola, home of one of the largest open pit copper mines in the world.
“We are going to restore order in the city of Chingola. It is saddening to see that even children below the age of 10 years are being used in illegal activities,” he said, adding; “All those investors involved in illegal mining activities will be arrested and have their mining licenses revoked,” he said.
The minister urged youths to form structured cooperatives to work with KCM management.
KCM chief executive officer Steven Din said more than US$1m worth of mining equipment had been vandalised due to illegal mining activities.
Mr Din said the actions by the youth had gotten out of control and called for Government’s intervention in the matter.
Mr Kampyongo said the Government stood ready to support young people who were prepared to earn an honest living and encouraged those willing to give up their illegal activities to form cooperatives.
He said a well-structured and legally registered cooperative could be supported by KCM by allowing them to buy scrap metal from them which they could then sell on for a profit.
He said once this was done, anyone involved in illegal mining activities that under-mined the operations of KCM would be committing economic sabotage, a very serious offence.
After his tour of the mine, Mr Kampyongo spent time talking to Patriot Party officials and supporters.