The Ndola City Council has demolished several structures which are illegally being constructed at Chibolela area in Ndola.

Ndola City Council Town Clerk Wisdom Bwalya said the local authority is determined to stop residents who are constructing structures illegally.

Mr. Bwalya said last year, the council had stopped residents from constructing houses at Chibolela area but people have resumed the illegal act on the same land.

He said the demolition exercise is being conducted to control development in the area.

He has warned that those found wanting will be prosecuted.

Mr. Bwalya noted that there were two ways to obtain land legally which are through the Ministry of Lands and from the local authority.

He has since urged the people to follow the right procedure when they want to acquire land.

He said the council has always made it clear to the people on the procedure of acquiring land adding that this is found in circular number 1 of 1985 and article 3 of 2015.

Local government Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga has warned Kabwe Municipal Council workers to immediately call off their strike where they are demanding that government has not released equalization funds for the month of December, 2018.

Speaking in Ndola when he officiated at the local authorities Principal Officers’ meeting at Levy Mwanawasa stadium, today, Mr. Malupenga said there is no justification for the strike adding that it is not yet the month end for the funds to be released.

Mr. Malupenga said all local authorities must operate in a viable manner and stop depending on funding from central government for their day to day operations including salary payment.

He has called the strike as illegal which has no blessing from the two unions that represent them, further adding that those involved have their days numbered.

Mr. Malupenga also announced that the ministry in January 2019 effect the process of weaning off some councils which have capacity to generate their own revenue and channel the funds to other councils especially those in rural areas.

The Permanent Secretary said Lusaka in particular will be the first local authority to be weaned off in January, 2018 adding that other councils will follow suit from benefiting from the funds before the end of the first quarter.

However, he noted that there are some councils which are performing well and do not depend on funding from central government to pay salaries.

And Local Government Commission Chairperson Amos Musonda warned principal officers of being fired if they fail to perform according to expectation.

Speaking at the same occasion, Mr. Musonda said it is time the principal officers moved from their comfort zones and discharge duties accordingly.

He said the commission is dismayed at the behaviour of some of the principal officers who he said dilute policy direction and sometimes not to obey instructions.

The Local Government Commission Chairperson stated that the commission will be forced to introduced performance based contracts for principle officers adding that it is one of the ways that will help them up their games.

Southern Province Minister Edify Hamukale has disclosed that government, through the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) will cover all funeral expenses for the five people who died in the accident along the Kafue-Mazabuka road on Wednesday.

Dr. Hamukale said government is deeply saddened with the loss of lives and has since conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families.

He said at a media briefing in Choma today that government is concerned with motorists who are in the habit over-speeding on the newly rehabilitated road.

He has since advised road users to be more responsible especially during the festive season in order to safeguard lives.

A 79-year-old man of Kaundula area in Luano district has been brutally beaten by a mob on allegations of practicing witchcraft.

Central Province Police Commissioner, Chola Katanga, confirmed the development to ZANIS in an interview today.

Mr. Katanga said the incident happened on December 18 this year around 23:00 hours.

He said the victim, identified as Dennis Matapu, was suspected of killing his 20-year-old grandson, Veston Mbuzi, using witchcraft.

He explained that the mob later buried the body of the deceased at the victim’s residence, whose house was also extensively damaged.

Mr. Katanga noted that police officers visited the scene and rushed Mr. Matapu to Masansa rural health centre in Luano district where he is currently admitted.

The Central Province Police Commissioner stated that no arrest has been made in the matter, but investigations are underway.

He told members of the public to desist from taking the law into their own hands as doing so is criminal.

Unionized workers at the Zambia Postal Services have continued with their sit in protest despite threats of dismissal from work by Management.

Zampost Management on Wednesday threatened to dismiss all the workers who have been protesting if they did not return to work on Thursday further warning that those that will fail to do so will be required to re-apply for their positions.

According to a circular dated 18th December 2018 signed by Postmaster General Brighton Ngoma, the continued protests by the workers has cost management a lot of revenue and cannot be tolerated any longer.

But the workers who on Thursday refused to go back to work have continued with their protest today 21st December 2018 saying they will only go back to work after management pays their five months’ salary arrears.

The workers who have gathered at the Lusaka main post office lamented that they are wallowing in poverty with others having been evicted by their landlords due to failure by management to pay them their salaries for five months.

They wondered how management expect them to get back to work when they do not even have money to pay for transport.

The workers have insisted that they will not go back to work as long as management fails to settle their salary arrears.

Zampost workers who have gone for five months without pay and have not received their school and transport allowances for seven months have resorted to downing tools to press management pay them their dues.

Ndola City Council (NCC) has warned of stern action against mall managers in the city who are charging members of the public to use toilets at shopping centres.

NCC Public Relations Officer, Tiyengi Mwanza told ZANIS yesterday that the local authority is dismayed to learn that ZEMART Mall is charging a fee of K2 per person to use the public facility.

She explained that the application by ZEMART management to the council to continue charging members of the public for using toilets at the mall was rejected as it is not in accordance with the laws.

Ms Mwanza said according to the law, Public health drainage and latrine regulation 80 Cap 1 bond cap 81 states that the owner or occupier of any workplace, public hall or other place by ticket or otherwise shall provide such a premises with proper and sufficient latrine accommodation for each sex and that such owner and occupier shall cause every latrine to be kept in a clean state and adequately lite during the day and night.

She said it is disturbing to learn that other malls have also started charging a fee to members of the public wanting to use toilets because of what they had seen at ZEMART mall.

Ms Mwanza has however, stated that the local authority has since written to all the malls managers to stop charging members of the public for using toilets with immediate effect.