Konkola Copper Mines Plc (KCM) has issued a statement in response to media reports alleging a mine accident resulting in the deaths of two miners at the Chingola Open Pit (COP) number 5 on March 30, 2024. While expressing sympathy for the families of the deceased miners, KCM clarified that the COP 5 mine operation, also known as overburden number 5 (OB5), does not belong to KCM.
According to the statement issued by Shapi Shachinda, General Manager Corporate Affairs at KCM, although COP 5 was once a KCM operation area, it is currently not under the company’s ownership or management.
KCM emphasized its commitment to enforcing safety and security measures across all its operational areas to protect the lives of its employees, as well as the surrounding communities. These measures align with safety protocols mandated by the government-run Mine Safety Department (MSD).
So people died and who owns 5 (OB5)
This guy is a numbskull…he admits the pit was once KCM property…so what do you do when you decommission a mine underground of or open pit? You inform MSD who will advise how the place will be secured. You have not secured the place..a hole which wasn’t there until you made. A clever lawyer can win this with only a few sentences.
OB5 is under new ownership. the current owner has the obligation and responsibility to secure the tenement not KCM
KCM has no dependable properly structured insurance in place. God forbidden if something major human and property catastrophe happens, mine will be in deep pit. A risk audit is needed.
Are we not already tired of these KCM accidents? Senseli is also a kcm pit residue heap. Didn’t we have a cave-in there, where about 30 people were buried alive and the search was abandoned since then? Employ ZNS, if possible, to temporarily secure this mouse trap and bring closure to these horrors.
I was seconded to these two mines under the then ZCCM and we had MSD to ensure all safety measures were in place. Been under the then Konkola Deep Mining Project and the Nchanga Open Pit mine. Hence, I agree with some of the commentators who I know given their extensive knowledge, are ex-miners. So stop sugar coating issues when human lives have been lost. That’s why any time an unforseen and unfortunate accident occurs, everything was sealed of and heaveily guarded by armed Mine Police officers and Zambia Police to be most specific the mobile unit at Kamfinsa Police training school.