Zambia United Local Authority Workers Union (ZULAWU) has commended the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) for engaging selected local authorities in the country to collect revenue on its behalf.

ZULAWU President Kingsley Zulu told ZANIS in an interview in Ndola yesterday that the work being done is commendable.

Mr Zulu said this just confirms that ZRA has confidence in the local authority and its ability to collect revenue.

“It is our hope as a union that the selected councils will prove themselves beyond a reasonable doubt that they have the ability to discharge this function and prove that they are able to efficiently collect revenue on behalf of ZRA,” he said.

He added that the selected councils are expected to prudently utilize the proceeds from the 10 percent share, to be taken from the collected revenue.

Meanwhile, Mr. Zulu has commended President Edgar Lungu for making reshuffles at the permanent secretary level.

He said the union has always worked well with the outgoing local government and hoped that the new PS will enhance the authority’s performance and rise above the numerous challenges at the ministry.

President Edgar Lungu has appointed Mathew Ngulube as Ministry of Local Government Permanent Secretary, taking over from Bishop Edward Chomba whose contract has not been renewed.

The Bank of Zambia has appealed to members of the public not to hold low-value coins but to put them back into circulation.

Bank of Zambia Public Relations Officer, Besnart Mwanza said people in possession of low-value coins such as 5 Ngwee and 10 Ngwees are encouraged to deposit them at any commercial bank or the central bank rather than holding them.

“The low-value coins have been released in circulation and are very useful but people see them of no value,” Ms. Mwanza said.

Ms. Mwanza said in a statement that 5 Ngwees and 10 Ngwees have been released in circulation though most people just keep them for unknown reasons.

After a random check at most chain stores in Ndola, management at the named stores who did not want to be identified told ZANIS that they do not have enough low-value coins to give customers as change accusing the Bank of Zambia of not releasing the low- value coins in circulation.

But Ms. Mwanza refuted the claims by chain stores and stated that the Bank of Zambia has been releasing enough low-value coins in circulation, 50 ngwees and K1 inclusive which she added commercial banks are at liberty to access.

“However for 5 ngwees and 10 ngwees, these have been released into circulation and most people just keep them and not use them,” she explained.

Meanwhile, Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) Public Relations Officer, Rainford Mutabi said consumers are supposed to demand their change from any store no matter how small whenever expected, or pay the actual price of goods purchased.

“The question of which party loses or gains more during a transaction is quite clear that consumer suffers losses and retailers gain. Consumers are supposed to obtain value for their money,” Mr. Mutabi said.

He said that the Commission has already engaged the Central Bank on the matter.

Mr. Mutabi added that CCPC continues to carry out educational campaigns to encourage financial inclusion in the retail and financial sectors around the country.

And Phillip Chikonde a consumer said it is sad that chain stores fail to give 5 ngwees and 10 ngwees coins as the change to consumers yet they are asked to pay the full amount for the goods bought.

Mr. Chikonde suggested that the chain stores should knock off the coins from their prices or get the low-value coins from the central bank.

Marketers in Lusaka have bemoaned the high cost of doing business amid the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.

Gertrude Phiri a trader at Soweto market in Lusaka said the prices for a bale of second hand clothes also known as “salaula” has gone up and it has contributed to the slow pace of business as most customers are failing to easily adapt to changes in new prices.

Mrs. Phiri noted that one bale of salaula which was selling at K2500 before the second wave of COVID -19 is now selling at K4500.

She attributed the increase in prices to poor supply as most of the second hand clothes are imported from Europe and America and that they are the countries which have been badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said the rapid increase in the price of the commodity has led to the increase in the prices of second hand clothes.

“The cost of doing business is not stable amid the COVID-19 pandemic as prices are going up every day and so we are left with no choice but to increase the prices if we are to make profit,” she said.

She said the situation has made the pace of the business to be slow as most people are complaining that the increment in price is too much for them.

Meanwhile, Joseph Banda a customer also complained of the increase of prices for buying second hand clothes as a pair of pants which was being sold at k100 is now selling at k190.

“In the second wave of the pandemic goods and products have become expensive for an ordinary person,” he said.

The Private Sector Development Association (PSDA) has urged the business community to brace for more hard times amid COVID-19 pandemic whose ending is not yet known.

Association Chairperson, Yusuf Dodia says with the continued surge in the numbers of COVID-19 cases, will likely affect businesses especially Small Medium and Entrepreneurs (SMEs).

He urged SMEs to begin embracing other means that will keep them afloat.

Mr. Dodia says although the worst is yet to come and some businesses are already making losses, it is also important for them to explore other opportunities such as online transactions and food deliveries for those in the hospitality industry.

He said many businesses despite being closed for six months due to the outbreak of the pandemic last year, are still threatened during the second wave and that it is very hard for them to survive, thus the need for them to seek other avenues.

“Clearly the private sector has had a very difficult time during the out outbreak of both the first and second waves of the pandemic. Many of them are running at losses especially those in the hospitality industry,” he said.

Mr. Dodia said the country is going to experience another recession this year because private businesses will not be able to function at full capacity and as such products will be adversely affected.

“The private sector should adequately prepare and brace themselves because the country is going to experience another recession this year. The worst is yet to come and businesses should start devising other survival means as it will not be business as usual,” Mr. Dodia said.

He said apart from the effects of COVID-19, some firms are not operating at full capacity due to load shedding.

Mr. Dodia said some businesses are still affected as they are still receiving rationed electricity but hopes the coming on board of Kafue Gorge lower hydropower station, the situation will improve.

Mine workers Union of Zambia president Joseph Chewe says it is expected that some miners will be declared redundant during the on-going restructuring of Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) which has been split into firms.

Speaking in an interview in Kitwe yesterday, Mr Chewe said the union however cannot give the exact number of miners who will be affected by the restructuring process.

“In every restructuring process, there are people that are usually declared redundant, so it is expected that some people will be declared redundant. We can only give the number of miners that will be laid off until the process is finalized,” he said.

Sveral stakeholders on the Copperbelt have accused KCM provisional liquidator, Milingo Lungu, of having fired some workers on political grounds, an allegation which the mining company has refuted.

And in a statement released in Kitwe yesterday, KCM refuted allegations that it has fired people that are inclined to opposition political parties.

This is according to a statement released by KCM lead social media and public relations Victoria Kabwe.

Ms Kabwe said some employees have voluntarily opted not to continue with employment in the new subsidiary companies of which management cannot force them.

She said the on-going re-organization process is aimed at leveraging the available human resources for maximum productivity.

Ms Kabwe said in any industrial restructuring, the re-engagement of workers is labour requirement driven.

“Management respects the principles of freedom to contract and offer employment to the best required skilled individuals,” she said.

Ms Kabwe said the allegations are both unfounded and misleading to all stakeholders and are intended to discredit Mr Lungu.

KCM has been split into two entities, namely KCM Smelter Company Limited and Konkola Mineral Resources.