The Black Mountain Community Consortium has refuted social media reports suggesting that one person died yesterday at the black mountain where it is conducting mining activities.
Speaking at a media briefing in Kitwe yesterday, Consortium Spokesperson Kangwa Kamando said contrary to the social media reports, some youths he yesterday referred to as chrome pickers were injured away from the black mountain as they tried to jump from a moving truck.
Mr. Kamando said the Consortium is taking responsibility in its mining activities by adhering to safety guidelines.
He said the mining activities are supervised by professional safety officers adding that if people were dying at the black mountain the Mine Safety department would have halted the operations there.
“I want to put it on record that its being four months since we began operations at the Black mountain and since then, we have never recorded any death, the only death that has occurred happened outside the black mountain and it involved chrome pickers that jump on moving trucks to get chrome, it is therefore unfair to report that people are dying at the Black mountain when it is in fact not true, ” Mr. Kamando said.
And Mr. Kamando castigated Nkana Member of Parliament, Binwell Mpundu for posting a statement on his Facebook page stating that youths are dying at the black mountain.
He said Mr. Mpundu who he said is a direct beneficiary of the mining activities through the two trucks allocated to him should tell the truth because he fully understands what is going on at the mining facility.
Mr. Kamando has since threatened to withdraw the two trucks allocated to Mr. Mpundu’s office and allocate them to Chisokone market Community saying the consortium cannot continue considering people who do not appreciate.
And Kitwe District Commissioner, Lawrence Mwanza said his office in collaboration with the police is working on finding a lasting solution to the problem of chrome pickers jumping on moving trucks which he said is the cause of the reported accidents outside the black mountain.
Mr. Mwanza also stated that an alternative route for tipper trucks transporting materials from the black mountain will soon be opened away from the central business district.
But when called for a comment on the matter, Mr. Mpundu said he did not say that youths are dying from the black mountain but dying from avoidable Black Mountain mining activities related deaths.
He said youths are jumping from moving trucks to pick chrome because they feel they have been given a raw deal at the black mountain.
“In the past youths we given Saturday and Sunday to pick chrome from the black mountain but now they have been stopped from doing so as a result they are jumping on moving trucks to get chrome and that is why they are dying, but l am not saying they are dying from the black mountain,” Mr Mpundu said.
He however admitted that his constituency has been allocated seven trucks for empowerment of selected beneficiaries.
Yesterday a male youth had his legs amputated after he was run over by a tipper truck carrying materials from the black mountain when he jumped from a moving truck.
The weakness is with the District Administration led by Lawrence Mwanza as DC. When Mayor Mpasa Mwaya raised concern about the mining activities she was insulted and labeled as frustrated PF cadre. She’s now quiet. Mining activities don’t end at the mining site. Lives of many people that include motorists between Kitwe & Kalulushi are at risk from those cruising trucks. People in Kitwe West and Kalulushi want to protest because of that. So it’s okay for Kamando to make money while others are losing lives? Have empathy, money isn’t everything. One day you’ll be called to answer for these deaths that are being reported everyday. HH must understand that most leaders’ hands are soiled on the Black Mountain, they’ll mislead him
Black Mountain is a SHAMEFUL operation, which (surprisingly) is presented as a good example for the youth. And both the president and that horrible minister Paul Kabuswe still think this is the way forward. They both clearly have got NO IDEA. Go and have a look HH and discover you are WRONG
We need to encourage our youths to get educated and get into professional careers, not scavenging
Who are you cheating. Many have died there and it has been swept under the carpet with families paid to keep quiet by your govt. You think we don’t know? Is this the job creation oval head hh was talking about
Let Kitwe Teaching Hospital refute or confirm these reports. And this nonsense of empowerment won’t solve our unemployment. As usual there those political touts who are the main beneficiaries.
Of course, Black Mountain Community Consortium will say this as there are no Health and Safety guidlines at that place no reporting procedure even if a heavy rock fell on someone’s foot…its just a bunch of thugs trying to dig as much as possible via the quickest process possible for a quick buck.
If this statement doesn’t move the President to institute investigations on the operations at the Black Mountain, then nothing will. When we said people benefiting from the Mountain aren’t known,we were insulted. Now Kamando tells us that Binwell as a beneficiary he shouldn’t talk. When did Binwell become a vulnerable youth? Nipano tuli
And why is ZP quiet on this? Do they want to wait for permission to make a statement? Or they want to start arresting those who may be responsible for the ” deaths” after change of government?
ZP ARE NOT INTERESTED
LUNCH MONEY IS MORE IMPORTANT