Maamba Collieries Director survives lynching from Miners
Maamba Colliries (MCL) Coal processing plant
Maamba Collieries employees yesterday went on rampage, blocked their Managing Director Stephen Mutambo from entering the mine area, showered insults at him, and called him ‘thief’ for failing to pay them their six months salary arrears after selling K15 billion of coal.
Quick action from Sinazongwe police saved Mutambo from being killed by workers who had metals and stones ready to harm him.
The MCL employees wrote on the walls to thank government for selling the company to an equity partner NAVA Bharat ventures to save them from Mutambo’s alleged stealing and deserting from work.
Sinazongwe Zambia police guarded Mutambo and whisked him out of the mine area from the workers who were ready to lynch him.
The workers grabbed the keys for the Human Resource Manager’s vehicle Percy Simwale and for Plants Manager Famous Kabwe, they parked them in the garage and only promised to release them once their six months arrears where paid.
Some workers talked to told ZANIS that they have sold about 35,000 metric tones of coal worthy K15 billion but their management has failed to pay them their salaries.
They said management has subjected them to torture as they have failed to explain how they have used K15 billion kwacha from the sale of coal.
The miners said their children have been chased from School owing to their failure to pay the tuition fees.
Five Months ago MCL Managing Director Stephen Mutambo promised the workers that their salaries would be paid once coal was sold.
But from the time the miners were promised nothing has changed among the workers as the salary arrears have hit six months.
The workers said Mr Mutambo has been staying in Lusaka since July and have been running the company through ‘remote control.’
They said despite his failure to report for work he has been getting a salary and is alleged to have kept two company vehicles in Lusaka where there is no production.
However, other sources within MCL said management have used the money to pay creditors who did shoddy work at the Coal Processing plant.
He said the Money was being paid to Power Flex and Howard the companies that were supposed to be charged for doing shoddy work but because some named top management were involved they have been pushing for their payment every time MCL sales coal.
The source said some named manager takes the cheque to Power Flex himself when it was prepared instead of using the Marketing department.
They have appealed to government to probe the top management over the scandal to establish how the company money has been abused and why they have not paid salaries despite selling all the coal that was produced.