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PF’s Nchanga MP urges govt to sort out mess at KCM By Ernest
By Ernest Chanda
Tue 17 Aug. 2010, 04:00 CAT
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NCHANGA Patriotic Front (PF) parliamentarian Wylbur Simuusa has called on the government to sort out what he terms the mess they have created for Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) workers.
Commenting on the planned peaceful demonstration by KCM workers over the continued outsourcing of key activities at the mining giant, Simuusa accused the government of ignoring the problems at the mine for a long time now.
He said the government had sided more with KCM than their citizens, hence the mining company's disrespect for workers' rights.
"First of all, I must declare my full support for the planned peaceful demonstration by KCM miners. This is because my colleagues in the MMD government are stubborn. These problems at KCM started a long time ago, and I remember calling on this government to sort it out early enough. They created this mess because of their stubbornness, so let them help KCM sort it out," Simuusa said.
"But because they have given too much liberty to mine owners to abuse workers, these MMD colleagues cannot see beyond the benefits they are getting as a party from KCM. So, I support the workers and the Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) for reacting timely. It seems the only language this government understands is a demonstration. Let the miners fight for themselves since their own government has ignored them."
Simuusa said there was no way KCM could terminate some workers' contracts abruptly without regard for their feelings.
"For example, KCM is handing over some of its employees to contractors who cannot guarantee their job security. There is also the situation of machine operators from the open-pit mine who have been brought to the surface to sweep. Now, does that guarantee job security when people are left in suspense?" Simuusa wondered.
"KCM are behaving like that because the MMD government has given them the leeway. When they fire workers without any reasons or whatever wrong decisions they make, this government keeps quiet. Issues go unattended as if these miners do not have a government to protect them. Maybe KCM has been sponsoring MMD in whatever way, and so the government has been crippled by that."
He warned KCM and the government against ignoring the problems facing the miners.
"I know our colleagues in this government are very stubborn, but I still appeal to them to deal with this mess they created. They should not blame anyone when miners react in the way they want to because this issue has been boiling for some time now. Just late last year, President Rupiah Banda told KCM to fire all workers who participated in a protest. And this is the man who should be defending his own people. So, if the President can betray his own people, do you expect a foreigner to embrace them?" Simuusa asked. And Simuusa challenged the government to explain circumstances which led to the resignation of Nava Bharat chief executive officer Dipesh Dipu immediately after his appointment a few months ago.
Simuusa said people had every reason to speculate that the government had a hand in his resignation.
"Why has the nation not been told why the chief executive officer of Nava Bharat resigned barely five months after his appointment? I raised this issue in Parliament a few weeks ago but, as usual, Vice-President George Kunda rubbished it. Maamba Collieries, where Nava Bharat has majority shares, is a quasi-government institution and as such the government should take keen interest when a CEO makes such an abrupt decision,” said Simuusa.
“For example, when Zain managing director David Holiday resigned a few days ago, people got concerned. And Zain had to issue a statement to clarify that. This should be the case on matters to do with big entities like Maamba Collieries.”
On Friday last week, miners from Nkana, Nchanga and Konkola units gathered at MUZ offices at Katilungu House in Kitwe where MUZ and the National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) held a joint press briefing and sang solidarity songs to denounce KCM management.
The union officials said outsourcing needed to be halted as a matter of urgency.