POLICE in Kitwe yesterday fought running battles with over 50 Mopani Ex-Mine Contractor company employees who stormed the mine officers along Central street demanding for ex-gracia money.
The mine ex-employees complained about the criterion Mopani was using to select who was eligible for the Ex-gracia money.
Around 09:00hrs the ex-miners matched to Mopani central offices, where they demanded to be addressed by management over the matter.
But police in riot gear quickly came to disperse them but later reiterated by throwing stones and other objects at the officers.
However the police managed to quell the riots but the ex-miners then matched to Katilungu house to meet Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) officials.
And Speaking on behalf of the other ex-miners, Jairos Nyirenda said some of the miners that have been paid are not appearing on the list.
Mr Nyirenda has since appealed to Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Richard Musukwa to intervene in the matter.
And Copperbelt Commissioner of Police Charity Katanga confirmed that the ex-miners protested but that there were no arrests made.
Mrs Katanga said the miners were complaining about the criteria which the mine was using to pay the ex-miners the ex-gracia.
“Others complained that their names were omitted, others were appearing on the list but were not paid while others complained of being not eligible to get the payment,” she said.
Mrs Katanga, however, said management at the mine has asked the companies and the workers to come to their offices for a verification exercise.
Early this year, the mine had placed its mines in Kitwe and Mufulira on care and maintenance and sent about 11,000 direct and indirect employees on forced leave.
However, the mine went further to terminate contracts for some companies, which resulted in over 7,000 indirect employees losing their jobs.
After holding talks with Government, the mine decided to resume operations but gave a 90 day notice that it would again suspend operations.
But some companies refused to go back on site, saying it would be very expensive for them to mobilise the equipment.
The mine then decided to pay the indirect employees working for the contractors K11, 000 ex-gracia in addition to their separation packages.
Miners eligible to be paid ex-gracia are those that were working at the mine under a contractor before April, 8, this year.
This gives sad reading. We Live in a civilised society. Is it difficult to organize a representative to raise their grievances for them? Also let us be patient during these unprecedented times with covid
You MARCH to somewhere. You MATCH to something or with something. That out of the way — what the heck is ex-gracia money? If it is indeed ex-gratia why are the employees deciding that it is an OBLIGATION??? Something is missing here. Perhaps then the usual weird way of doing things is at play where favorites have been pitched and those who would really use the cash are being sidelined. Matthews Law, perhaps? Headache reading some reports BUT ex-gratia should not cause riots. It is not a MUST!!!!
The problem with Glencoe is that it does mix business and politics, please leave politics to politicians. Glencoe is insensitive to people’s emotions. The mines have been the lifeline of the Copperbelt for over 100yrs now and they’re the only investors that have ever behaved in this manner. Please don’t let your exit be acrimonious
What is the meaning of ex-gratia?
Why ex Gracia? And how do you determine who gets it?
There is actually total pandemonium on the modality being used in the payment of the xglacia money. I am sure that MCM officials ordinarily have never failed in its history to pay its huge number of employees including that of contractors. However, I have a strong feeling that some selfish individuals have artificially induced chaotic system on the pay role so that they can steal this money. This is because their mode of payments do not reflect the way we have known and believed in Mopani historically. For this reason, can we please have the Minister of Mines,Mr Hon. Musukwa, intervene in this artificial chaos? I am one of the concerned former Mopani contractor company employee.