Solwezi Mayor Jameson Kapumba confirmed this in an interview on January 20, saying the council received the money from the mining company this week.
“Kansanshi Copper Mines pays K3.6 billion every year to Solwezi Municipal Council in land rates,” he said.
Mr Kapumba said the money realised from the mine is usually used for service provision and opening up new plots for housing and businesses.
He, however, complained that service provision will suffer this year as funds meant for the exercise have been diverted to pay workers their seven months salary arrears.
Mr Kapumba said workers staged a sit-in protest after they heard that the council has received the money from Kansanshi mine.
They demanded to be paid all their salary arrears. He said the workers refused to be paid for two months only.
A check at the council found offices locked and workers loitering around the Civic Centre demanding to be paid their arrears in full.
The workers are owed over K2 billion in salary arrears. Mr Kapumba observed that the money realised from the mine should ordinarily be used for service provision.
He said it was regrettable that council workers were demanding to be paid their arrears from money paid by the mines as land rates instead of raising the money themselves. The mayor stated that workers must follow procedure before resorting to strike actions.
Mr Kapumba said the mine will pay a similar amount in June this year.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Good now do the roads. How can a town where there’s so much investiment have gravel roads throughout the township, have some pride please Zambians, no one will come and develop your country.
The Mayor said, “… it was regrettable that council workers were demanding to be paid their arrears from money paid by the mines as land rates instead of raising the money themselves.”
Can somebody educate me on what the Mayor means here?
IF the council is failing to meet payroll, maybe it is about time they thought about downsizing
There is no proper planning at the local authority just like the central govt. How do normal officials pay the whole chunk of rates income from Kansanshi Mine to clear workers salary arrears and leave nothing for development. The talk of servicing plots is nosense. The pipo applying and being allocated plots pay all the costs. There is need to improve public infrastrature in Solwezi. The roads are in terrible state and the whole town needs redesigning. The airport needs to be allocted somewhere else as its located in town. What will happen twenty years from now. Kapumba and his team of councillors should not forget that minerals were made once by God and they will be exhausted in less than 50yrs. This is the time to use whatever small resources that are available to develop the infracture
No 2 don’t bother working out what it means, i doubt if the major his self can make sense of what he said. that is if he was quoted correctly
in any case the collection of these rates is yet another example of who zambia benefits from the investment in mines. this money used correctly can leader to better service delivery and better pay for council workers. the council can be one of the riches councils in the country.
so this song about taxes being the only way to benefit is false
Only! Very disheartening K3.6 billion,thats just about one and half truck load of copper,council,infact,Zambia deserves a better deal from our resources,the rest of the money goes out to China and India and we remain with crumbs,poor leadership,Solwezi council would have been the richest,That K3.6billion should have been per week earnings for council.
No 6 ZEBIGGY K3.6BILLION per week? for rates only! which business will survive? which business will be viable enough to employ. I am no expert but just tell me how much ZCCM was paying for the rates in it hey days. dont just think about yourself as an employee think about me as an employer as well.
No. 7 I used to work for ZCCM (just check my name) and I know ZCCM paid the Council zero in ground rates. . . . . .zero!!
This is the problem of COUNCILS. Either coucillors and council workers allocate each other plots or they share badly their income.
i hope ZEBIGGY has read what Shi Maini Ku Ndola has posted.
the popular feeling is setting too high a standard for business to survive. it a good thing Gov on this one has not listened. many dont know that the even if the new Gov comes they will continue with the same economic policy. which of course is good. Sata last election was saying lower taxes for workers and businesses many people doubted him
Good News but keep an eye on how the council will utiliize that money. I hope it will not be swallowed by outstanding allowances and salary arrears. Auditor General take charge please.
#8: There’s a question in your statement mate. ZCCM used to pay land rates to councils. In fact, in order to guard against misuse, we used to release only enough for their operating capital. For the rest, we’d put out tenders through the Contracts section, and engage contractors for such services as road maintenance, sewerage, street lighting etc. We (ZCCM) also used to pay up (quarterly) personal level on behalf on miners. What I cannot understand is how such a small council as Solwezi can be in such dire financial straits with such a huge employer on its land. What’s going on (why the salary arrears)? These councils should publish their budgets and financial results.
K3.6billion per annum as land rates is the Joke of the century. Let’s learn to be serious by starting to revisit our laws. These pernalty points belong to Welensky days.
No 13 mukabe just state what is reasonable land rates the mines should pay. justify