Zambian miners are unhappy that Vedanta Resources owned Konkola Copper Mines has continued to outsource labour because of lack of intention from the government.
Mr Rayford Mbulu president of Mine Workers Union of Zambia said that KCM, Zambia’s leading copper producer is likely to continue outsourcing labour as long as there is no intervention from politicians.
Commenting on the recent visit by mines deputy minister Mr SimoN Kachimba to KCM operations on the Copperbelt region of Zambia, Mr Mbulu was skeptical of tangible results emerging from the meeting with the mine officials because they appeared to have already made up their minds over outsourcing.
He commended the government for the initiative to meet mine officials on the matter relating to Zambianisation which said that the mining union has already has had a similar one before. The impression of the miners union was like discussing an issue on which decisions seem to have been made already noting that that it was MUZ’s view that the miner, KCM has already made up its mind to outsource labour at the expense of skilled locals.
He said that I think we’ve not achieved anything because they KCM were simply justifying their decision to outsource. From the manner the meeting ended, it seems they will continue outsourcing.
According to Mr Mbulu, if what was happening at KCM was left unchecked, it would spread to other mining firms and ultimately disadvantage Zambian professionals. There was need for all stakeholders to join hands in stopping the outsourcing at KCM.
He said that KCM has the largest number of expatriates in the mining sector. Mopani has been led by a Zambian Chief Executive Officer and he has run it so effectively so far. KCM has more than 135 expatriates while Mopani has about half that number but they are performing very well.
[SteelGuru ]
(Filed by Mr Kapembwa Sinkamba SteelGuru Correspondent Zambia)
While our gradutates roam about the streets…..indeed, a sad state of affairs.
for your information the concentrator at KCM Nchanga has been outsourced already as I write this. Government should wake up please , these guys want to be externalizing all the monies and using these same foreign companies which they have come outsourced. Believe me you the tax base for the government will go down if they are still sleeping because KCM is planning to lay off most of the zambian employees in prefer to the foreign contractors. KCM is doing this because it knows that our leaders are corrupt and will not do anything to stop them. Even their Boss mentioned that Zambia is rotten starting from the head to bottom , meaning our leaders are corrupt. Maxwell Mwale wake up do not just think about PF-UNDP PACT take on KCM and tell the nation whats going on.RB wake up please Bwana
Thats the problem with capitalist owners. They are only interested in what they can get out not what they can put in. Government should have laws governing employment that protect the local workforce.
Actually the company that has taken over the Nchanga Concentrator is FLSmidth . I do not understand why government and the EIZ can’t tell off KCM about this behave , we have well qualified engineers to do the work.under ZCCM engineers used to do the work without any problems, so what happened now to our engineers for indian to start thinking otherwise . This clearly shows that government is not in control at all. Believe me you the rate of crime on the copperbelt will go up since most of the people will be laid off, already KCM has removed almost 90 % of the zambian suppliers from the data base leaving them with nothing to do. MMD wake up do not eat with these indians they say you corrupt as our leaders that why you can’t take any action against them no matter what they do to us as…
MMD take seriously what MUZ is saying do not polticisize everything which MUZ they are on the ground and know whats happening with all the mines . Maxwell Mwale you refused to introduce windfall tax an those indians have gone a step further to make sure that maximum the profit at our expense by out sourcing labor because the are making enough and they want to make sure that by the time the leave zambia there will be nothing left for us. Chinese are even better because the employ zambians.they do not believe in outsourcing for labor. we are in serious problem just watch and see the next move KCM will do they basically do not want to buying nothing from zambian suppliers, the have even opened an office in south africa to be purchasing goods from SA.what a shame for sleeping zambian governemt
Zambia has been independent for more than 44 yrs. The Universities and colleges have charned out a lot of graduates who have later picked up the experience. Now why is it that up to now even very basic artisan jobs are being outsourced? Answer: No political will in this country to stop it because the Govt., approves their work permits. KCM and at one time Kansanshi Mines brought in a lot of cheap labour from Indian and Indonesia respectively to do jobs that can easily be done by Zambians.Zambia has a rich mining history dating back to the 1920’s so why are we allowing other people to benefit from our resources. First the copper money goes out, next the little money that remains is later given to the unQualified foreign inferior artisans that are brought in. It;s like Zambia bleeds…
It’s high time MUZ took over the reins of ZCTU. ZCTU heavily compromised, it was even calling for for the disbanding of the PACT which is not their business. How useless of them. Meanwhile Zambian workers are suffering left right and centre. On the mining front, there is a lot that need to be done, the miners are aggrieved.KCM and other mining Companies in Zambia i.e. Albidon and Luanshy have employed a lot of un-qualified labour from their country of origin. MMD Govt., busy granting these people work permits. MMD should go come 2011.
MUZ will do well to mobilize support on the Copperbelt beyond those formally employed by the mines. They can forget about relying on the state for anything, as many Copperbelt residents already know. There are the marketeers, informal copper miners, the transport industry, students, local mine suppliers and small scale farmers; all who can join the union, as people who directly and indirectly depend on mine workers earnings.
LT you’ve lied and need to research. Records are there to show that Kansanshi Mining plc is Zambia’s biggest Copper Producer followed by Mopani Copper Mines. KCM comes in third and will be fourth with the aquaring of Luanshya Mines and rumping up at Chambishi Copper Smelter by the Chinese. KCM through the ROTTEN TEETH mouthed Rual Karkar just rants and a lot of rubbish but are useless.
Talking about Vendata (KCM), what more does this DULL PRESIDENT need for him to understand that they have failed to run the Mines. Vendata thinks running a Mine is like running a corner shop. These Indians have no knowledge of mining and are merely traders. It’s high time we got KCM back to ZCCM. That’s the reason why this DULL PRESIDENT will get ZERO Votes from the Copperbelt next year. What a FOOL we HAVE in STATE HOUSE.
I hope H.E M.C Sata visits LT so he can pick up this vital Data for next year! M.C come to our rescue as soon as possible. Rescue us from RB ans his ROTTEN MOUTHED, SPICE STIINKING TRADERS!
We dont need these quacks,the indian & chinese investors. We need the americans & other better investors who have some room in them to respect our aboareds. I have worked at both KCM mines & i must say, i dont understand why zambians allow this kind of govt to continue ruining their livelihoods before their eyes. Just in DRC pa neigbour pe nu, there are only none chinese & indian investors & renumerations are good. The govt policy is strict & are outsourcing expertriates from zambia,RSA,Botswana, Mozambique & zimbabwe, benefiting the surrounding countries. look at us, RB is busy developing his birthplace in zimbabwe & when the zambians will work up, he will be secure under Mugabe’s protection. Lets help our friends loosing jobs out there people!
Our government is a big let down! Bonse niba nchekelako because how do you explain how the new mine owners are making such decisions with audacity. There is nothing wrong with Indian or Chinese investment but our government is rotten to the core.. The investors dont make laws we do but or laws are weak for how do you give work permits to any foreigner the mine owners employ when there are Zambians quaified to do the job? Sad indeed, and Rupiah is seeking re-election….maybe re-erection