KONKOLA Copper Mines (KCM) has laid off 700 workers from Nkana Integrated Business Unit smelter in Kitwe, company spokesperson Raul Kharkar confirmed yesterday.
He said the decision to shut down the smelter was purely technical.
Mr Kharkar said the reason behind the shutting down of the Nkana smelter was that the company had started using its newly constructed smelter, which was put up at a cost of US $370 million.
“Yes I can confirm that the Nkana smelter has been shut down but right now I am in Lusaka so I don’t have the exact figure of the affected employees although I know that it’s between 600 and 700,” Mr Kharkar said.
The KCM spokesperson said the company had, however, absorbed some of the miners that had lost their jobs at the Nkana smelter into the newly constructed one.
And National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (Numaw) national secretary, Goodwell Kaluba said in a separate interview that a number of people at the smelter was given retrenchment letters.
[Times of Zambia]
nishani RB where are the promises ehhhhhhhh
First
How i wish this soya chunk was mindful of his mouth when he was gallavanting zedian soil promising the electorate. to the electorate especially the ba ku chimuzi, wake up (:|>:)
The streets are already full, mwe bantu. Where are these people going to go?? 😮
Iyo ubulanda mu Zambia yeeeeeeeeee?
What will become of C/Belt now? :-\”:(
😕
Mwamona mwe bena Z. Ubufi bwa ma poloticians. 2011 mukaposeko amano. RB alebepela ubufi pali Global Credit Crunch. How come pano pa RSA tafilechitika ifi mu mines? Ala bufi bane mu Z.
It really a sorry sight. If I owned a media my headline today would have read: KCM NKANA PLANT CLOSES AS BWEZANI CELEBRATES HIS 72ND BIRTHDAY! What a shame, trusting indians? we need God’s intervention in our beloved mother zambia/
Abantu balalya finshi kanshi? 700 is too much imwe. RB we are watiching you closely :-w
WE Bulanda, twalichita shani mwe lesa mayo eee batuposa abankalwe aba. Where are we going? Oh god have mercy on us.
700? 10 was gona 2be okay,where are these pipo goin to?God help us we r yo children
Its a sad affair. am currently working for kcm in chingola. I am in senior management and i fully understand hown hard this has been for the indians. The decision to close kitwe has benn due to the costs of running it when copper prices are so low.Its something little can be done to avoid.Only God can assist in such situation.
Seriously who can buy shoes at K100,000 and sell them at K55,000. Thats what is actually happening.
Theres is hope. Lets all be on our knees
You have said this because you dont know what has been happening at Nkana smelter,do you know that they have been cases of suicide and other people have gone insane.the idians have betrayed the workers at Nkana because it is Nkana which helped the indians to return the money they invested in KCM and that was done in three months.Now after Nkana has helped in constructing the new smelter and returning the invested money,the workers have been left out with worries of how the furture will be for them.
More people at the airport to see him off. :d
Where is Zed heading to? I think people are taking advantage of the credit crunch for personal gain.
:((
RB you are the one to blem donot sit stand do samething good for the people or resin.
Dr Mulenga #16
Awee. Nangu ni mwebo ba Dr., you need to check the chizungu! [-x.
What are you saying exactly kanshi? In simple terms please?
Iyi nomba recession yafika pa zed nomoba ba mwenye nififine, our export economy over reliant on copper will not be able to cope it will be a rough couple of years pa zed. Lesa tata twafweni!! recycled politicians recycled policies, corruptioin naba Angola abali munkondo for over 20 years are surpassing us, cry the beloved country
:(|):(|):(|):(|):(|):(|):(|):(|):(|):(|)
Its not only 700 think off contractor employees as well. It very sad
I hope those MMD hules can say this is part of Nyama Soyas good works. 700 is not a joke MMD chaps.
The Hour has come for change…MMD must go!! [-(**==
Why is it that Zambians are the only ones suffering in their own country??
Nangu ku ba pata shuwa, why are you all blaming RB for this faisco?:o
Retrenchments are the order of the day in times of global economic recession. In KCM’s case, the lay-off was mainly due to technical failure, as I can gather.
I feel sorry for the families( skool fees,Rent,car loans,house loans, Mr.RB Banda mulikwi? Guys start campaigning for any other party apart from MMD twachula pafula 700 plus workers shame,
God come and Help us.twafwa ifwe.where are we heading to?sure 700 is a very big number.this only means more crimes and more corruption.its so sad and moving. 8->8->8->8->8->
People let us be forward looking, what will happen when the copper runs out? Countries like Egypt have diversified from Agriculture to Pharmaceuticals, Heavy Engineering, Information Technology (semi conductors, software development) and industrial electronics while we are yet to diversify from mining to Agriculture or Tourism
When Zambia is going through a crisis – retrenchments,hunger, Kwacha tumbling,procurement scandals & so much uncertainty, our president is busy partying at state house & flying around the continent.
Surely, Bwezani has not shown any leadership. What a disappointment!
We need to vote wisely in 2011.
its not RB’s fault,the past presidents should have led a base for the **==s.Atleast someone must have prepared for eventualities.now every leader only thought of himself and his relatives and friends “selfishness”
am just fed up of the way things run pa **==.we will soon be like zimbabwe.8->8->8->
you dont know what you are talking about,i thought RB said he was continuing from were mwanawansa left.If the elections were fair we colud have had the presindent who care about the people iam sure you know who iam talking about.
# 26 what is the cost of producing a bag of maize? with this recession which tourist is going to come here? If they can only allow farmers to export then agriculture will be profitable.
I understand KCM had been recruiting for its new Nchanga Smelter when it knew all along the Nkana Smelter would close for “technical” reasons.This is quite some manpower planning!
Observer, New smelter technology is totally different from the old Nkana smelting Technology. It calls for a minimum of a science graduate to understand it and cope with the day to day production activities. Believe you the only job for a grade 12 here is cleaning and perharps tapping. “I’m not supporting retrenches”.
You dont know what you are talking about ,if the operations at the new smelter required the so called graduates to run it why were you asking for help from the workers at Nkana to assist you the how the smelter should run.I hear that even you the so called graduates do skimming,tapping and even sampling.The new smelter is the easist to run and that sholud not be an excuse to retrench people. if you dont know there are people at Nkana the ones you call grade twelves who have professions and experience.
^:)^^:)^
Take it easy people, your ruling party (MMD), whether you belong to PF or UPND, your ruling party is MMD & we shall provide other opportunities for the affected people. Remember we have initiated the economic zones where more jobs will be created
Last time I was there…i saw a number of “Indians” who apparently were working casual jobs at KCM in Chingola which Zambians could be doing!! Zambians are still roaming the streets looking for jobs which are given to foreigners!! Is it Government policy or selfishness sprouting in the Zambian Society?? ~X(
I’m off to cool down!!=p~
Those were not KCM casual workers. They were employees of KCM contracted firms at the site and have since left though i still see a few. I feel there is need to extend the employment act to external contractors working in our mines. It’s the same case at Chambeshi Copper Smelter and NFCA. Lesa twafwe.
What kind of a zambian are you,you know that there is something wrong going but you do not have a heart.i wonder what you will become GOD help you too.
What kind of a human being are you,you know that there is something wrong going but you do not have a heart.i wonder what you will become GOD help you too.
Another 1000 miners between Chingola and Konkola on the waiting list. the worst is yet to come. meantime Nyamasoya is burning Jet A1 using Taxpayer’s money for useless trips. God Help us.
Thats only KCM a further 1000 is coming from mopani. CB dwellers twalila. Abantu baya.
Atleast mopani its not technical fault,How many projects have you started and the thor ones you are palnning to start,i think you are making alot of profit.
A Night without LT!!8->
Where are we going to meet Guys!!
For thos who want to stay in tough just in case LT disappear for good let me use this time to forward my email ad.
pls write so that this will not be the last day we meet here
[email protected]
You guys are economic illiterates. Nkana smelter was built in the 60’s. The technology for this smelter was outdated. Vedanta have built a modern smelter in Chingola. This will cut their smelting costs by 50%. It is normal business practice to upgrade the technology and this always results in job loses. It was the same with the new large plant at Chilanga. So stop mourning.
But that does not give then rights to retrench the poeple who made them profit,so that you can have the job you have,iam sure you are working for the indians.the jobs they are doing at new smelter even the people at Nkana can do that even better
I hate this news. 8->8->8-x8-x~X(~X(~X(~X(
Mining giant Anglo American has said it is to cut an additional 9,000 jobs as the global economic downturn hits demand for raw materials.
The losses come on top of the 10,000 job cuts that Anglo’s South African unit, Anglo Platinum, had already announced earlier this month.
The job cuts follow similar moves at rivals Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton.
Anglo also announced a 3% fall in 2008 pre-tax profit to $8.57bn (£6bn) and warned that 2009 would be tough.
A spokesman said the job cuts would be across the group’s operations, which are mainly in South Africa, South America and Australia.
We had gotten so used to a socialist economy that now we blame the President for any business decisions independent companies make. If the President did anything to interfere we would say he is UNIPist. You could as well blame RB for the dog fouling your yard.
who else is responsible.Sata wouldnt let this to happen
#35
Just shut up!! Who asked for your comments?? you are the one who should stop mourning. [-(
Copperbelt Kuyopesah! Ma, Football has gone under. Muf Wanderers, Kalulushi, Nkana, Nchanga Rangers, Blackpool, Ndola Utd Ni Mu 1 and below.I think we should change the premier league to be divison 1.
Now more people on the streets, crime will skyrocket.What has happened bane, in a street on C/belt u find only three pipo work. Go to Luanshya the whole street they dont work. Aah Ungá Funte. Ka’unga balunda, kwacha K6000 per US dollar. Kani Iyi, niyamba che Comedy, Bikiloni & Diffikoti any vacancies??? Makampani yanzelu ba’vala. ministers salaries fya Lunda. Aaah!! manje kulibe Global financial crunch ku ma Ministers salaries? Ha aka walala mwe!!!!
The Economic melt-down started some time ago.
The Question is: why did the NyamaSoya & his under-performing
Ministers increase their Salaries?
Answer: The ministers want to continue feeding their
blotted worm infested overfed – bellies.
No appologies!!! Look companies a retrenching, politicians were busy creating more ministries and positions to appease themselves. Nevers Mumba, Akashambatwa, VJ, Nawakwi all appeased. atase.. Maybe we need a Laurent Nkunda type to save us.
Zambia is a big joke.Just look @ the leaders you have put to run Govt.The Leadership of a country is a reflection of what people think. :-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@
its a sad development. but understand that job losses are happening everywhere. even in the south things are not as they shud be. one of the causes of xenophobia last year was unavaiklability of jobs for the locals.
thats why politicians shud know that there is no absolute capitalism. you cant everything in the private hands. you also cant run everything as a govt. something must be done about the mines. we appreciate diversification, but for now lets get head on with this isssue.
Vernon Mwaanga, have you seen what Rupiah Banda and his fake govt are doing? You rigged elections in favour of RB. The economy is now on Auto pilot. There is nothing sensible that is happening in Zambia.
Shame Mwaanga, You will die like a dog. People are now losing jobs everyday because of what you did.
#39. Wapa Zed. This is a public thread I do not need to ask for your uneducated permission to comment. You’re certainly are a functional illiterate because there is nothing objectionable in what I said in #35. Isnt the Nkana smelter outdated? Hasnt Vedanta built a new smelter in Chingola? Doesnt new technology in most cases cut down on labour costs and numbers?
Every literate person knows that something is seriously wrong in the World today. Ten million Americans are unemployed, wages are falling, millions of people have lost their homes, the economy is contracting,U.S. state and local governments are laying off workers, the U.S. automotive industry is losing $2 billion a month, and a number of major businesses have failed.Now 700 at KCM Nkana to loose their jobs?
It time to wake up.The new world order is here.
There is serious governance problem in Zambia. When KCM embarked on the major upgrade we slept and did look at the counter effect of that. The management had no plan for the workers who were to be affected. The cost of production which has affected the mines is the energy, talk of fuels and Electricity. The crown we have put as put as a CARETAKER of state house cannot do anything. Promised creation of jobs and more mines opening but the opposite is what has happened, more jobs lost, more mines closed. At times we should cry so much GOD on self inflicted problems. God gave us a chance we blew it. One from the opposition should have been a leader so that we have complete overhaul of gavernment
No. 42 Wanzelu
I wonder why you call yourself by that name. Who told you that leadership is a reflection of what people think. Are you telling me that Mugabe is a reflection of Zimbabweans. You’re a dull chap.
#46
Do you even have your own opinnion, or are you just a marionette of the New World Order / 1984 theses?
Mopani Mufulira mine as well will be put under care and maintenance from March. Zambia we chalo chabwina Kristu bushe tulelolakwi?
#49
Let wait and see.
/:)/:)8-|:x:d/:)>-
This is not only happening in Zambia.We just have to be strong and united and we shall pull through. politics aside. America, as powerfull as could could be are also affected.only God thruogh us can help us!
Too bad ,for the confirmed jobless
My ever Gallant intelligence officers in the field have just un-earthed a scam, Chambeshi metals has been sold to Moses Katumbi.The Katanga Governor.He closed the border, no more concentrates & Ore came into Zambia to punish us for Task Force persection.He knew Chambeshi Metals to end up laying off workers & closing, later buying it cheaply and resume production on Congo material. This will make super profits4him with 100% Forex extenalisation. Clever chap. LT U can’t un-earth such scam!!! Katumbi held us to ransom & won.
#35 Mbulawa is right.
The reason is clear – 700 job losses due to technology upgrade. This happens wherever technology changes or upgrades.
The advent of PCs caused a lot of secretaries to lose jobs. You rarely hear of typists or typing pools in work places. Some companies that used to produce records and record players, camera films, cassettes etc have folded up as the world went digital with CDs, digital cameras, digital TVs etc. If you and I owned KCM, we would make similar investment in new technologies. The new smelter technology is more productive. Move with times and technology. I have been to Nkana smelter. It was aweful and a pollutant.
#56 contd
Look at the impact of the Internet and email on the Post Office. In the UK, a lot of Post Offices have closed down as more and more people communicate by email. I guess Zampost is facing similar threat. Thousands of post office jobs have gone under.
The way forward is for those affected to retrain so that they can have other skills for other jobs. Those 700 ex miners can be help to re-train, especially the younger ones. May be the Govt together with KCM can hel in this way. 700 is a small number. ZCCM retrenched much more that that during privatisation. Some of the people went into other fields e.g banking, accountancy firms, oil sector etc. Some left the country.
Very sad
#56 UK. What tech are you talking about? First you should ask how the ops are done at the mine. Please dont be sacarstic on such serious matters
Shouldn’t the Govt be in the forefront of creating jobs/employment as part of their macro-economic policy? They should be building industries…manufacturing not just becoming one big shop for foreign products…its sad! 8-|
what next? lets try agriculture.
move with time guys..closures and buncruptcy are all over now.mps and ministers and MPS should not spend money on buying new cars….
it does not make sense…look at america,canada etc..i mean big economys with bigger economies are busy cuttinng down on such unneccessary thing it is a waste of money.zambia is not for Unip,Mmd and these other parties but for all.we have come to believe that KK,FTJ, VJ,RB and the rest are untouchabls but u we should realise that zambia is yours…TU KA YA KWI….
stop Mps and ministers from buying cars using GRZ MONEY, PEOPLES MONEY.ZAMBIA YA BONSE NOT A FEW…FOR MP’S ..one term one car…appointed minister…one car or two as you save the country as minister….one car for official duties as minister and the other for your constiuncy……reserve the little money we have…..zambia is very much behind cos of selfishishness.I MEAN FOR 5 YEARS JUST AS MP JUST A CAR ..LOANED AND AS A MINISTER…ONE LOANED AND THE OTHER FOR OFFICCIAL DUTIES….LET US SAVE MONEY….. cars bought should last for 5 years….ask america..china…canada..russisa…bala tu se ka
What is the Govt doing to limit the damage that the Credit Crunch to our country.
I have not heard any solutions from the Govt., all i hear is RBs tours. Come on guys.
bashimaini yazanda sure. Its really news. 700 job losses??? Its too much in a small economy like Zambia. Mwebuteko please do something? And you want even to privatize ZAMTEL so more job losses . No, you can run away from Zambia coz those working are in trouble with extended family. RB do somthing please. [-([-([-([-([-([-([-([-(
#56 De Javu
“He said the decision to shut down the smelter was purely technical.
Mr Kharkar said the reason behind the shutting down of the Nkana smelter was that the company had started using its newly constructed smelter, which was put up at a cost of US $370 million.
The KCM spokesperson said the company had, however, absorbed some of the miners that had lost their jobs at the Nkana smelter into the newly constructed one.”
I believe the new smelter tech is better than the old, otherwise why change. Better tech almost always uses fewer people per production output.
#41,
Who is Nawakwi and Mumba in nyama soya’s gonvt. Shade more light boyi?? :)>-:)>-:)>-:)>-:)>-
The technical probe is out of question. Nkana smelter has a modern mellargical convert n anode. The oxyfuel reverb is old tech but can treat low grade cons with no probe. O wat is need is to maintain it and sell the mine. The probe is that kcm has only acces to 150tons of heavy fuel oil and 250tons of pyrate from nampundwe. Which can only run 1 of the two smelters. The cmt is highly automated and with considerd effort government can help sell the mine. So question of old tech is not here. Ex nkana worker
If the shut down of the smelter was in Ndola, Lusaka, or Livingstone, Felix Mutati and RB were going to be falling on each other trying to solve the problem! But this is Kitwe. Has any one of you ever heard Mutati say anything about new investments in Kitwe? And yet this Zambia’s second largest city! What a pity!
Dont blaim mr l banda he is is very good man.you Zambians should be thankful to india.india has helped you alot.if it was not for india you zambians could be just suffering.you wanted to vote for the useless man mr sata so that he can chase away as indians.without as indians in kitwe all these useless zambians would be nothing.we are the reason why zambians have boght vihecles so please shut up and give thanks to indians.