GOVERNMENT has suspended operations at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM)’s Konkola Deep Mining Project (KDMP) in Chillilabombwe.
This follows last Friday’s underground accident which left seven miners injured with one of them in a critical condition.
Mines, Energy and Water Development Deputy Minister Richard Musukwa said yesterday that Government had with immediate effect suspended normal hoisting activities at KDMP pending detailed investigations.
Mr Musukwa said preliminary investigations in the accident revealed that there were high levels of negligence by KCM.
He said in a statement in Kitwe that an inspection of the shaft conducted by senior inspectors of machinery and explosives, in the company of KDMP engineers revealed that the balance rope was severely damaged at multiple points.
He said apart from that, the rope was also completely cut at one point as well as entangled to the steel structures in the shaft at another point.
“The bottom of the shaft was filled with spillage from about 1500 metres level up to about 1,478 which is over 20 metres of spillage,” he said.
He said the source of the massive spillage into the shaft and circumstances leading to the multiple rope damage were being investigated.
“Rising from this, Government has with immediate effect suspended normal hoisting activities at number four shaft pending detailed investigations, thorough risk assessment of the affected area, safe
clearance of spillage at the shaft bottom and eventual change of the damaged balance rope,” he said.
Mr Musukwa said from the summary report of the accident, the seven miners were in the cage that was moving at eight metres per second from ground to surface when it was brought to a sudden stop, followed by snapping of the balance rope.
He said the cage had a capacity of 50 people but had only seven passengers at the time of the accident.
“This meant that there was a lot of room, free room for the men to be thrown to and from the edges of the cage until it stabilised and this caused injuries to all persons on board,” he said.
Mr Musukwa said it was clear that the safety of miners at KDMP could not be guaranteed hence the decision to suspend the hoisting activities.
KCM public relations manager Shapi Shacinda when contacted said he was not in a position to comment by press time.
Mr Shacinda, however, said the company would today issue a statement over the matter.
The injured miners included Thomas Mukopa, 34, a cage tender, who sustained serious head injuries and had since been evacuated to South Africa for specialist treatment.
The others are Francis Chola, 35, Jokonoa Tembo, 45, Francis Mondo, 28, Desmeil Mwale, 39, Ackim Zulu, 38 and Hector Sinkamba, 33.
Hoist Maintainance in an Underground operation is No. 1 priority as hoisting is what you use to bring your materials above ground, equipment and people to and fro.
Am buffled that such a critical area of operation could be that neglected. Just shows to what degree those Indians are interested in KCM, apart from stealing.
GOOD MOVE GOVERNMENT……..
And where are government mine inspectors?When was the last government inspection done? When was the last overhaul shutdown maintenance of the hoist system.people do right if they are being monitored as per statutory otherwise they will try to cut short cuts just to make a profit! Especially foreigner…
This is what happens when, in the quest of making huge profits, you only think of unnecessary cost cutting measures. These guys are so obsessed with it that they no longer care about the safety of the poor miners.
In the meantime all they do is propaganda to brainwash the Zambians into thinking that KCM is taking good care of its employees. Things are not well at KCM. That is the truth. And you wonder why our government is always caught napping all the time. Should we always wait for outsiders to come and wake us up?
From the way the layman (Musukwa) has described things, the situation was very bad. Now, can you imagine if there were 50 miners in this cage! It would have been a disaster!
That`s what you get for putting a Chimbwe in plot 1. No vision,No strategy. he can’t read a report with more than 2 pages. A grade 7 drop out for a president,can`t understand or negotiate the complicated business issues at play. outsiders have come and issued report after report, from Zambia Sugar, KCM etc but because the reports are so big our grade 7 can`t comprehend the issues and so no action. So much for a man of action. Next my fellow Zambians let education be a number one criteria in addition to all the other qualifications required for one to rule the country. For now Zambians will just have to suck it in until 2016. Woza kuyabebele Chimbwi musholola.
We chipumbu we! You are the only one who has made a stupid comment on this article. Are you not ashamed of failing to comprehend what is being said and hence releasing your frustrations on someone who has achieved more than you ever will?
Now back to the topic. I think it’s about time we had a Health and Safety Executive in Zambia to look at Health and Safety at all places of work through out the country.
Mining is a complex business and requires the utmost employee safety measures that should never be compared to anything. It should also be noted that real security does not come cheap.
The Mine Safety Department based in Kitwe are not doing their work.This guys have become complacent and they no longer visit the mining site for inspections and audits of the mine safety.They are always reactive instead of being pro active.They feel intimidated and to some extent inferior when dealing with some called expatriate from RSA ,China and India.I remember at one time a Sri Lankan project manager arguing and convincing the MSD officer in charge of boilers on the certificate of a pressurised vessel that was imported in the country for a project where this Sri Lankan project refused to have the vessel tested and certified by MSD officer because according to him it was new and passed test in the country of origin.The MSD officer just complaining that this investors are spoilt by Govt
This is what happens when you fire competent people and leave trash because you don’t want to be challenged.
The so called Super Shaft is a supper scandal. No single skip has been hoisted safely. Again I ask: where is Billy?