Fear and anxiety has gripped miners on the Copperbelt province following the decision by some mining companies to cut jobs due to the decline in Copper price that has drop by over 50 per cent at the London metal exchange in the last four months.
The mine workers unions, who have called for an urgent meeting with President, Rupiah Banda, have revealed that so far about 286 miners have lost their jobs at Mbwana mukubwa, 26 at Chambeshi Metals and another 50 at Kasanshi.
Speaking at a joint Press briefing held at Katilungu House in Kitwe today Mine Workers Union of Zambia, MUZ, President Rayford Mbulu and National Union of Miners and Allied Workers, NUMAW, Mudia Sikufele of the revealed that most of the mining companies that they were negotiating with had indicated that they intend to cut the labour force if the current fall in Copper prices continues.
Mr Mbulu said it was unfortunate that Government last week left them out of the meeting it had with the Chief Executive Officers of the Mining Companies at a time when the workers in the sector were not guaranteed of their jobs.
He said it could have been positive if Government had invited the Unions who were the workers representatives , Chief Executive Officers of the mine companies to dialogue with Finance Minister Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane on strategies on best ways of addressing the problem.
He added that fear and anxiety has griped the miners over the impending retrenchments hence the need for Government to quickly intervene as dialogue was the only solution to the problems in the mining sector.
And Mr Sikufele emphasised the need for the mining companies to maintain the current labour force and use the savings made during the period when the Copper prices were high to make the wheels of the industry go on running smoothly.
Mr Sikufele added that there was no justification for mine companies to retrench workers because they had invested heavily in developmental projects at the time when the Copper prices were very high.
He noted that the current copper prices were not too low to force mine owners to take such drastic measures as retrenching the miners who had contributed greatly to the huge profits made during the time when the copper prices were at their peak.
ZANIS/LK/ENDS/SJK
Too bad mwebena migodi
number 2!!!
Its happening everywhere. Not only in the mines. Hopefully there are other jobs out there.
Two day ago I saw a headline on Zamnet.zm that mine companies want to sue the state for high tax,and yet these guys were not psying tax for a long time.now they want to cut jobs after they have made money.but pa ZEd balitutola Zo-ona.Goverment lets wake up these fake investors are just in our country to make money for their countries.
its so bad that banks in the copperbelt are not lending out money to miners or even contractors who depend on the mines. dad told me that mopani has been sold to a russian company.. am still arranging to get some shares while he’s still prezdo!!
Too bad our voters we shall see what we can do for you.
Where is the President!
Is he unlike the wise Obama not anouncing his team to tackle the economical woooos or he simply does not know things are geting pretty bad for the people
“Fear and anxiety has gripped miners on the Copperbelt province following the decision by some mining companies to cut jobs due to the decline in Copper price that has drop by over 50 per cent at the London metal exchange in the last four months. The mine workers unions, who have called for an urgent meeting with President, Rupiah Banda, have revealed that so far about 286 miners have lost their jobs at Mbwana mukubwa, 26 at Chambeshi Metals and another 50 at Kasanshi.”
The voting pattern in the Copperbelt Province is now catching up for most of those crying now rejected more jobs and good pays that president Hakainde Hichilema and the mighty UPND offered them even by signing Social Contract
#9 continued.
CB Province vote for Zambia in 2011 by endorsing the technocrats in the UPND to bring you jobs and food to your door steps.
Otherwise, you will continue to call for meetings with many Presidents and your concerns will not be solved. By the way, President RB Banda is alleged to be leaving for Nigeria tomorrow. Brace yourselves for hard times. Otherwise, I am also emphathising with you especially those that have been retrenched.
actually they are getting really bad..
CHABIPA ZOONA
I MISS DOGFATHER AND VIAGRA ADDICT…WERE ARE THOSE TWO CLOWNS?
Investors! Zambia chalo cesu.
Back to de land just as it was in de beginning. Man is a farmer by nature and not a miner!
Maybe Rupiya has gone to attend to the miners in Nigeria
Some of you are just condemning the President,maybe he is going to Nigeria to find answers to zambia s problems especially with the problems in the mines.BUT Why is he being met by a Minister?wHAT has he done wrong?Is it to tell us that their President is busy?so strange,I feel let down by those west africans.No wonder Mugabe refused to give visa to kufour.
This is just the begining. I challenged Magande and Fundanga on their sentiment that the global crisis will not have much impact on Zambia. Well lets see how high levels of unemployment, increase in food prices and inflation will not affect this country. Investors holding into their money, low copper prices, reduction in investments and donor funding. This country is in serious trouble with these so called educated book economist.
I hope these would- be retrenchees were saving money in the banks. If they werent too bad for them some may end up street vendors or even criminals.Im sure this will be a wake up call to some people.
#19 Manchild Most of the miners i know actually got loans because they were being advised and encouraged to do so.it wasnt really possible to save money because telephone calls and transport costs are too high in zambia.Most miners had left their families behind to look for work hence their high expenses on mobile communications and transport.Now they have to reapay the loans,its tricky,we shall need Government intervention and help
Magande should not have run away. He knows how bad the agreements that he and Mwanawasa had signed with their foreign business partners that were given the mines for free and were even exempted from paying taxes. This is when Zambians will realise that Mwanawasa and Magande had done nothing and what there were calling development was an empty shell. Every thing they did was short term, they had no longer term strategy. Just as well MMD rigged the elections, the pending economic melt down will force them to reveal to the zambians where where the copper moneys vhave been going
rigging of the election,increment of their salaries,high prices of mealie meal,low prices of copper etc, zambia we are heading the zibambwe way. No doubt MMD has failed us for along time.
it looks like investors are more powerful than our own government.shame
#22.Mwiponta Mukabwela No one rigged the election.PF got their mathematics wrong.
It seems bloggers on LT just want to write any thing without analysing the situation, gentlemen debate like grown-up people. the situation is not good. if you think you are not affected wait and see. this copperbelt has been a focal point in zambian politics, economy. it is the cooking pot of zambia. just think
when these mines came, they projected to make profit at the time copper price was around $2000 per ton. but just wen they came the opper price shot to around $8000 per ton. you can see the huge profits that these companies made. now the price is around $3500 per ton, they are already talking of laying off employees. it not good ,the best they could do is ask government to reduce the 30% tax and if that fails let then reduce the expatriates that are not needed. for once they should not fires local workers as they ontributed alot wen the copper prices were high.
we should have given PF a chance, this situation needs a hands on solution, not a pen pushing man talking for the comfort of state house.Sata should have had his hands dirty so that he could sort out this problem. Look at Obama he is a practical guy some analysts are even calling him a co- president. He is already at work and getting things done. But look at Nyama soya he wants to go to Nigeria. Only the devil knows forr what
#26, comparing Sata to Obama is the biggest insult I have ever heard; Im actually hurt! Wake up and smell the coffee, the global economy is going through the gutter right now and Zambia is not spared. These problems call for a clear headed person who can analyse the situation and take action after THINKING through the various options. Sata would have made the situation worse because he just acts without THINKING. Nyama soya might not be the right man to see Zambia through this harsh economic times but at least he saved us from a more dangerous Sata who would have reduced Zambia to a cholera infested country by now.
I like #18 and #24’s contributions…if you are sitting in Lusaka and think this is only affecting the miners then you are as dumb as they come. We all know that CB drives this economy and when things are bad for miners, just know the tsunami wave is on its way to your doorstep sooner than later, simple logic yet I am surprised at how many people seem to miss this. Just as this Govt thought we as Zed, somehow, we are insulated from the global crises, madness!
For those condeming the mines, just a bit of ground info..things are quite bad. Just a bit of history, the mines came in when prices of Cu were around $1,200 -$1,400 but with a bit of luck, China and India’s demand started shooting up hence for the next 4 – 5 yrs, prices went reaching a max. of above $8000 per ton. Now, we all know that in the days of ZCCM, the only investment that was done then was on the social side, therefore machinery and equipment were dilapidated, even exploration and expansions were halted. When these guys came they borrowed heavily to re-equip these mines as well as to increase their life-spans (KDMP,Muliashi, etc).All this was done against a projection that prices
How on earth can anyone have the audacity of comparing sata to OBAMA. How, and where do start from? This is pinful mwe!
Number 10 stop telling lies, PF, UPND can not solve the problem. Copper prices are going down on the international market. The only thing I blame the government for not taking advantage of high prices with high taxes and putting the money in agriculture and tourism.
#29 contd.. will remain for a period of 15 yrs and more..they also, to some extent invested in the local miner through training and improved wages. Yes, they also brought in the so-called “expartriate” who costs an arm and a leg, but when prices were good, all this was not a factor. Early this year, the Govt bowed to public pressure on the need for the benefits of high prices to trickle to the man on the street, so mineral royalty taxes were increased from 0.6% to 3%,direct tax was moved from 25% to 30% and flexible tax system triggered by the price at LME was also introduced. All this, plus the interests on the loans obtained for investment, have added to cost structure. So when the mines
#32 contd…claim that the cost of producing a ton of Copper stands at $5,500 I, to some extent do understand. When, for every ton of copper you produce you are making over $2000 losses, then you really need to ask yourself what you are doing..cost cutting becomes your daily hymn and re-structuring becomes your mantra. Right now, I know of suppliers who have not been paid for services delivered as far back July….orders are being cancelled every day and the Copperbelt is slowly returning to its old familiar self, a Ghost Town.
Mr Sikufele i appreciate your logical these mines made a lot of profit at $8000, so they should use the same profit to benefit zambians now the problem is these guys take every profit out of our country. Lets have a govt that reasons pipo lets protect our resources, the next move is KCM and FQM will be pulling out. the mines will not only affect copperbelt pipo but all zambians
bloggers have faith things will change for the better. pass a vote of no confidence in bwezani and let us have an early election to put in the great leader one michael chilufya sata who can see us through in this economic turmoil. believe me or not bwezani is still sleeping or he would have atleast given the zambians hope, i guess he is still following mwanawasa’s vision, he cant adapt to the new challenges
# 28, great contribution. What we need now are think tanks.For example these so called MPS should have startered by formulating policies that will help Zed come out of this crisis and not awarding themselves Salaries. Surely its not justified at this time of the crisis as this was not urgent and the MPS where still affording to put food on their tables ( more than enough) I guess the voters are to blame for electing pipo who have never seen the walls of a college. What can you expect from them? For Nyama Soya, he simply does not know his priorities, all he is saying is ” my ministers should start fullfilling the campaigh promises” wake up Nyama Soya!!!!. This criss needs everyones attention.
Some fantansies and dreams are hard to rub off. Forget about Sata, he lost Period. The world crisis is global, it is not just Zambia facing this kind of problems. Ask the Americans or the Europeans.
It is extremely low to try and apportion blame on the GRZ when the issue is about international metal prices dipping. To do that is simply blind vindictiveness.
Here is a story I got from someone. The father and son walking to the shops quite a distance away accompanied by thier donkey. They meet a man and he asks them why they should be walking when they have the donkey. The son jumps on the donkey and they meet another man who asks them why the son is being so unpolite by riding the donkey instead of the father. The father jumps on the donkey only to meet another man who chides the old man for being uncaring towards the son. Guess what the next man told them? ” You people must be mad, why are you carrying the donkey on your heads when you can ride on it” You cant please everyone all the time.
We might not have the Obama type of leaders, but our biggest weakness is we like pretending! We are failing to acknowledge that the economy is and will be rough in the years ahead. Please can someone advise the state media to write the truth about the economy,people are losing jobs but they are busy saying all is well.
Why shud every thing point to metals? Ask SA, if they only depend on metal exports. Actually we are to blame, we shud be feeding ourselves than importing even maize and chicken for that matter. The crisis is global but every time saying its becoz of copper just means we are not good at learning. We have had an experience in the past when copper was not the most sort for metal and by that time we were not in a global recessision. Alas, we still cling to diminishing assets. yak
I know some people who can simply kill you with their whining. They will whine about everything, literaly anything. Such people in most cases are the laziest and dullest.
‘No, I cant eat nshima without sausage and Potatoes, No the sausage must be from a freshly killed animal, no the potatoes must be cleaned seven times before cooking, no I cant eat without music playing in the background, no I cant eat roller meal, no the there the music is not right, no ….. ala when are you going to stop complaining.
There are admittedly problems in our system and I dont think anyone denies that fact. However, the solutions are partly to do with peoples change of atitude towards the work culture and this heavy dependency syndrome. Apart from good economic policies, a country needs innovative and enterprising public and citizenry. How much land and water resources do we have in Zambia, how much of our people are engaged in subsistence farming? Very few and you wonder why the country is poor.
We need an intelligent and enterprising citizenry to develop as a nation. Of course we will have the vulnerable and the weak and those that will depend entirely on aid and social welfare programs but to assume that this is guaranteed to every single citizen by GRZ will be most misleading. Government should create opportunities for employment for its people as well as afford opportunities for enterprise. The heavy reliance on copper has perhaps been the greatest draw back on our economic emancipation and until we as a people deliberately see this industry as a diminishing type, we will always be on the backfoot of negative effects of world metal prices.
Its a shame that not even Nyama Soya is standing in for the people while useless investors are prunning people 400 employees will be prunned by Friday from First Quantum Mining in Solwezi with a 4 months pay take away home (one month pay for each year saved plus lieu of notice, plus leave days now this employee was employed on a permanent basis and to be sent home with nuts and govt is saying they are aware, not even considering the profit margin that this company has made for the past 3 years when the company price was more than higher it sucks the company have made profit like they have worked for 7 years.
In the ZCCM days, the typical employee was given incentives to continue working. A bag of mealie meal, accommodation, pensionable income. These as good as they are left a negative impression on the worker. The worker was satisfied and settled in his mind to suh an extent that he saw no alternative to working with ZCCM. Once the plug was pulled off, the worker was left helpless with no immediate plans for livelihood. This is typical of Copperbelt bred people.
But at the same time I acknowledge the fact that there will always be the ’employee minded person’ who sees nothing beyond emplyment. They are the majority in any country and government is obligated by virtue of their numbers to ensure that jobs are created. This is the task of government policy, job creation.
Its really worrying investors have been given a green light by the Govt to prune people any how shame to ingombe illede
Perfect start for the defiler President!
Maybe Investors do not understand how Economics works in Zambia.Look at this scenario:Exch rte $1=4800 today and Cu $3600 is actually the same as$1=3200 and Cu 7500 in the past.When you convert what the miners get as their kwacha salaries it is still the same difference lees receipts but compensated by devalued local currency.
It’s unfortunate that we chose a sleeping nyama soya who has even not made a single comment to the rampant loss of jobs in the c/belt. these fake investors have made thier profit and are not ready to share it with the Zedians. Why can they decide to retrench people now when they did not want to when copper was it’s peak?
Mainly because of the copper mines industry, the railway and road infrastructure is as is and a big hindrance to meaningful enterprise. This infrasture ideally should facillitate the transportation and easy access of goods country wide and this would in turn facillitate the growth of enterprise. The most frustrating thing to the growth of business enterprise in Zambia is this restrictive road and railway infrasture. The costlyness of doing business is made worse by this uneven distribution of transport infrusture. A Chipata based farmer hoping to sell his maize to consumers in Kasama will have to pay transport fees via lusaka! This uneven distribution and inadquacy of transport infrastu
#51 CONT’D
re means that cost of doing business is extremely high and until government deliberately puts in -place a policy for infrastructure development, the cost of doing business will ever be high coupled with economic stagnation.
Fear and anxiety of the unknown, any one with latest infor.Maybe the miner owners are about to start paying tax to GRZ?
Viva H H man who has good plans for Miners in Zed
# 49 sensible post indeed!
Now our emphasis shud be on agriculture period. the earlier we do that the better. And by Agriculture, i dont mean uneconomic unilateral slashing of fertilizer by 50%.
We need well thought and sustainable decisive strategies.
Number 9…Maestro hehehehe. Have a heart. In any case, its the same HH you are trying to paint as MESSIAH who pioneered the privatization of the mines. The defunct Luanshya mine is a classical example, go to Luanshya and talk about HH they will rip you apart. He even knows it himself that’s why he has never set foot in Luanshya. I can guarantee you that HH will never perform better on the Copperbelt because his hands are dripping with blood of thousands of ex-miners who succumbed to death after a miserable life due his selfishness. So don’t try and paint the DEVIL as the MESSIAH here. Let him just enjoy his blood money! But like all ill gotten wealth its vanity. ANDY was the Best!
Number 28 Great contributions. Some people are so selfish that even common sense evades them. They think onces the mines on the Copperbelt reach rock bottom they will still be comfortable in their fake castles. They don’t know that instability is ignited in various ways, which includes the economy. Don’t forget that easily! It took Ndola, Kitwe and other CB towns to riot over mealie meal for KK to realize that he was mismanaging the country. What more with this illegitimate government that is governing against the people’s wishes? Am not an advocate of violence, am only a REALIST. Be careful with an impoverished CB and the consequences of a frustrated CB are GRAVE. Mark my words…..
I have nothing to add to the fine commentary by #18 The Man and #28 Uwakwisano.
Maestro HEHEHE, tawakwata amano,even RB promised but look at wats happenin.the pipo of CB voted for radical reforms which is wat is needed so that the investors dont play with us like kids.they need to think of others apart from themselves and die a little for mother zambia
#56 Mukelabai
Are you a dude or a gal.
Number 59 Lord Of The Flies…Why do you ask?
#60
I like your comments.
Number 60…Am a Dude.
Don’t our politicians know DIVERSIFICATION.It aint rocket science but a simple phenomenon.When copper prices were good why didn’t we prop tourism and farming.How many times have we heard that copper is a finishing asset and such like.Lets imagine copper had finished completely.What would we do?I dont blame the investors its the government that should put to blame.If those people have any decency they should all resign.What zambia is feeling now is a result of the global economic meltdown and all across the world jos are being lost.Its right for any ivestor to cut jobs in order to save a company.
#62
Thanks for letting me know.
By the way that was just a commercial.
Have a great day.
Number 63 Good Point..Our leadership lacks foresight. They have this weird dream that Copper will always be there…when simple reasoning tells us that the so-much talked about though not so-precious metal is a finishing asset. Who knows probably they will diversify when it finishes completely by turning all the open pit mines into huge dams so that fish farming projects can commence-As stated in Chama Chakomboka’s economics Hahaha! But seriously if we are a Republic worth its name we need to prioritize diversification because Copper won’t be there for FOREVER especially that we are lazy with mineral explorations. Our friends are busy discovering huge Uranium and Gold deposits.
Do you people honestly think RB with due respect has what it takes to run a country.In my opinion NO.His trip to Nigeria shows that he doesn’t even know that there are problems in the world economy.He is putting diplomatic missions ahead of the zambian people.By the way RB its not Nigerians that voted for you its the zanbian people and they need you to guide them during such times of anxiety.Stay home and make yourself useful thats all im saying.Trips (esp expensive ones) go against the much preached about fiscal discipline.
even if sata was presdo,emoployees at bwana mkbwa in ndola could have still lost jobs!its operational problem and not to do with global recess,ma problems mwebentu yapakisa pa zed
Operational problems can be made worse by luck of proper planning on the part of government Jenks.Im sure a solution can be found to operational problems can’t it?@50 people being rentrencehd is nothing to talk about.These could very simply have been offset by other industries had they been operational.
Elo lwanya nomba. The situation is not enticing enough to come back home any time soon? Remember Kafue Consortium, Anglo American Corp? These guys did their Due Diligence studies, yet we blamed them for pulling out. Mwanawasa’s Kaponyas from India, Venditor were hailed as Copper messaiahs when they took up mining. Now my friends, can any of you tell me where in the developed world anybody is still laying Copper cables for comms against Fibre. Who is firing Copper bullets against laser guided missiles? The short term demand created by the Chinese is long over and its time to move on. Agriculture, Construction and Tourism are Zambia’s future. Not forgeting Money Laundering – Seriously!
THIS IS APPARENTLY NORMAL PROBLEMS.GENEREAL MOTORS OF USA,CITY BANK IS IN PROCESS OF LAYING OFF JOBS.ITS ONLY TAT IN ZED WE ENTIRELY DEPEND ON EMPLOYMNET NOT SELF ENTERPRENUARESHIP…! LABOUR LAW ARE ALSO VERY PATHETIC INDEED.GOV’T IS SLEEPING.
I TOLD YOUMWEBENA CB NOT TO VOTE FOR PF SATAN,HE’S THE CAUSER OF ALL THIS!SWALLOW YOUR OWN MEDICINE NOW
Political correctness is again shielding us from the truth. HIV in the uk is mostly people arriving from abroad, a lot from Africa (how do they afford the fare I wonder?) and then – oh my goodness – they suddenly realise they’re infected. They should be screened BEFORE they allowed onto a plane!!!
Posted By: xxxx
Newcomers to the UK should automatically be screened for future statistics. Too many people come here for free treatment from Africa and elsewhere – we need to track this trend.
Posted By: xxxx
I got these posting from Sky blogs about HIV in the UK. The above are local reactions. What do you think?
I can only pray to our Almighty God to help us through these hard times bcoz no one seems to hear the cries of a common poor Zambian with a family to look after, not RB, not the MPs, not the big employers who want profits more than anything, no one! Only God will hear our cries. The day he will answer that prayer all Zambians will be happy again.
This is just an economic turbulence,sooner or later the metal prices will recover very soon. And being a minerals expert my self, I have info about all the mining companies around the world, I can tell you that most Zambian companies are running at costs less the $1.5/Ib of Cu ($3300/tonne Cu)which is still less than the current price of $3600/tonne. This could be a blessing in disguise, let these chaps misbehave so that the Govt can have a justification of repossessing the mines that they handsomely donated to these bastards. My anglo is ready to come faster than we left in 2002 as we know the business of mining better than any body.We plan on the long term basis.
I am suprised that the Union Representatives are asking for Situmbeko Musokotwane what startegies he is going to use to help out the mines avoid job cuts. Situmbeko and these guys in government are not going to do anything under the sun. Right now all they are saying about the mines is that they expect job losses to be minimal. Typical of Zambians. Even when someone has symptoms of full blown AIDS, all they will tell you is that it get worst when i get to my palce of work. They further will tell you that, i am dying cause of my latest promotion, when the simple solution was to get on ARVs before it was too late. Being in DENIAL is a worst killer than the actual ailment people out there.
I pity the other satellite industries which partly or entirely depends on mining.If ladies who dont work and purely exhibit parasitic behaviour, i dont know how they will survive if their bread winners are retrenched.All forms of trade will suffer,both legal and illegal.
Amaule yalevota and they should start preparing to be self reliant because this time,their target population has been hit hardest
hmmmmm ba number 52 come back home, dont just contribute such huge submisssions in writing be practical. we need all the zambians who have left to be patriotic in these trying times and do something for the motherland
This is from ZNBC website:-
Govt explains job cuts
Mines Minister, Maxwell Mwale, says the job cuts at Bwana Mkubwa mine are not related to the fall in copper prices caused by the global financial crisis. Mr. Mwale says Bwana Mkubwa mine has been experiencing operational challenges because it no longer processes copper ore from the Democractic Republic of Congo which has banned copper ore exports. He said this in an interview with ZNBC news in Lusaka. Mr. Mwale has appealed to mine investors not to send the industry into panic because copper prices are still favourable. Bwana Mkubwa Mining Limited in Ndola has retrenched 286 miners while another 50 miners are expected to lose their jobs
#58. samba boys, you wrote “Maestro HEHEHE, tawakwata amano,even RB promised but look at wats happenin.the pipo of CB voted for radical reforms which is wat is needed so that the investors dont play with us like kids.they need to think of others apart from themselves and die a little for mother zambia
“, did President RB Banda sign the Social Contract forms too like president Hakainde Hichilema did?
Lets who is the real “tawakwata amano” here.
#31. Shidada, Windhoek, your comment “Number 10 stop telling lies, PF, UPND can not solve the problem. Copper prices are going down on the international market” has nothing to do with me telling lies.
What I am implying is that president HH can brought in to help since he is an opposition leader. I hope this finds room in you.
#55. Mukelabai, ‘Number 9…Maestro hehehehe. Have a heart. In any case, its the same HH you are trying to paint as MESSIAH who pioneered the privatization of the mines. The defunct Luanshya mine is a classical example, go to Luanshya and talk about HH they will rip you apart. He even knows it himself that’s why he has never set foot in Luanshya. I can guarantee you that HH will never perform better on the Copperbelt because his hands are dripping with blood of thousands of ex-miners who succumbed to death after a miserable life due his selfishness. So don’t try and paint the DEVIL as the MESSIAH here.’Is it difficult for you to understand that HH was never GRZ? The man HH simply helped.
# 55, Ndaate, who hired HH to help Zambia Privatisation Agency and GRZ to find buyers for the Mines and do you remember who was in Cabinet at that time of this programme? If you own a Donkey and ask me to find you a Buyer for 500 pin and I convince someone to get it at 750pin, pay you 500 pin I get 250 pin would you call 250 pin bloody money. Pointing a finger at HH wouldn’t do anyone good because the man is a Financial Businessman. At times I find those that condemn HH over his proficient business acumen as just jealousy; period! You venture into the competitive business world maybe you will get my point. Bawishi Ba Maestro mulishani kanabesa?
#45 We should not blame investors they just doing business. We should blame ourselve(GRZ). ZCCM was turned into the pay master of unip district, regional chairmen. As if this was not enough they even introduced the of of the president at the mines expense. All this was done without recapitalization. As result machinery broke down while production nose dived. They introduced subsidiaries like Mulungushi but these now became dependent on ZCCM forgetting that their purpose was to supply ZCCM with affordable tools. ZCCM meant Zambia Cipuba Chaonaula Migodi
Maestro! I belive you love HH so much that you believe he can sort our all of Zambia’s problems.What was he going to do in the face of falling copper prices? Zambia needs to take over the mines like Venezuela has taken over the oil industry and its benefiting citizens not foreign nationals and companies.
Its better to have a President witout a degree but can deliver than have one with a degree and sink.A degree is a piece of paper unless you can use it!
Zambia can be a wealthy nation but the leaders are careless in there dealings.I urge Bwezani to curb :-
a)Corruption
b)Greedness
The president should see to it that his ministers are not corrupt in awarding contracts,appesing the so called investors at the expense of the local people.These people you call investors are busy taking your wealth and developing their countries i.e Chaina when your people are abused and suffer job loses whenever the masters feel like.These job loses you are allowing in your country is what will bring:
a)Poverty
b)Prostitution
c)Street kids
d)Riots,Murders,Corruption etc
If this guy Bwezani is not carefull,he is going to take Zambia to the colonial time.
Zed is sinking mwe bantu.GRZ find strategic plans plz!!!!
How are these people who have lost their jobs goin to survive???
#82. Legend of the Falls, on your greeting to me “Bawishi Ba Maestro mulishani kanabesa?”
Eya mukwai. Ndifwe bwino ngaimwe mwashibuka shani?
#84. Mulenga Newcastle UK, you wrote “Maestro! I belive you love HH so much that you believe he can sort our all of Zambia’s problems.”
Firstly, I do not think president HH can solve all of Zambia’s problems, but i have faith in his commitment to try solving enough of them not only as an individual HH but with a TEAM the mighty UPND.
As regards to your “What was he going to do in the face of falling copper prices?”, my response is that this is why I am recommending the Union leaders to call on HH to do something on this issue instead of speculating on what HH would have done. The man HH is still alive, and so, let us use his epxertise to try to solve these mining problems.
Later.
It’s a pity that our GRZ you voted for has no long term plans for Zambians. There is need to transform the economy by moving resources (capital and people) into manufacturing and other activities like technology. There is so much dependency on copper. This is a wasting asset, meaning time will come when it will be no more. Therefore, my dear folks tell your Bwezani to look at the future of zambia.
Ba # 83, you are dead right, Investors are business companies in the Capitalist world who are profit oriented. If GRZ had brains they would have put devices in the Investment Act so as to create wealth for its citizens. Look at the CEEC, it has alot of bottlenecks that money is now sitting idle in Banks etc etc. What we need are people in GRZ who can see beyond their nose and those who can make hay when the Sun is shining. Have you seen that companies dealing in bottled beverages are going through a rough patch because of the scarcity of glass or bottles. GRZ sold KGF to Costain Chilala and he’s turned it into a Maize storage. We need to have continuity in Investments!
# 87 Omuchende Muna Mapanza, ino kumunzi nkuli kaii? Mebo ndili Muna Hamonde. Ndalumba mupone kabotu Taata!
hang in there pips, we shall overcome
#73. aleku04 Thats wishful thinking!n Get yours up and till the land
The miners are in trouble, no more making love at home,because they have alot of stuff to think about.
Viva H H he knows exactly what could have been done in Zed
In my opinion, prices will rise again but the big question or questions are (i) when? and (ii) what happens before then? #69, I don’t share your persimism on th value and future of Copper in modern technology. Granted, uses for copper have evolved over the years but its unique properties of being the best conductor of both heat and electricity still makes it well placed for any future advances in technology. E.g, we are singing about green technology of solar panels, wind turbines, green cars (powered by re-chargeable bateries) all these need copper in some form or another. Even nanotechnology for computer chips, as they get smaller and smaller, heat transfer becomes of prime importance,
#95 contd..so the best and affordable material the world has is still copper. So, this Govt must not be cheated because when the Green Revolution kicks into high gear, and Obama and the rest of the world start delivering on their promises of increasing green technologies and advances in Computers and all start bearing fruits, prices for this comodity will simply soar, probably even higher than the previous maximum prices. But what do we do until then, is the question.
My only hope is that VJ, the miracle man, will be gracious enough and rig these economic problems so that Zambians can continue to live in propsperity. Can someone tell me if these mine owners are beyond the powers of the chief rigger, that extraordinary man called VJ? By the way, VJ threatened to sue Given, what’s the latest now? Have the courts refused to be rigged too?
Obama has announced his crack team of technocrats to tackle the US economic problem; why cant our Lupiya Chibanda do the same? Does anyone know them and their credentials or is it a one-man (Musokotwane) show? Do we have shortage of financial gurus pa Zed? You guys in the diaspora, can you offer any solutions please? Can we hold a London or Washington conference dedicated to Zed economic problems and translate them into debit and credit?
The CEO has reduced his salary to US$1.00, can Nyama Soya and his ministers (including VJ) do the same so that the ZEd corporate world can follow? Difficult times call for selfless leaders and tough answers!!
In order to be successful, a business needs to achieve as good a mix as possible of the factors of production. The desirable mix will change from time to time and will depend on such things as the need to expand, the availability of skilled labour or experienced and enterprising managers, and new technology, as well as, of course, the market price for the different factors of production.
Also,not forgetting, when to pay,why to pay and how to pay.Do not expect to earn to much when your production is low.Its like a vulnerable motto,”lower taxes more money in the pockets”.
#91. Legend of the Falls, ndaluma musa. Cabija kuti sekuzi ku-munzi nkaambo senaunkidde ko. Ba-Taata bakafwa kecili muniini nkabela sekajana ciindi ceeledde kuti ndikuzyibe ku-munzi. Pesi, ba-baama mbulikuti balikuzi. Pele, ndakaliunkidde ikufwaafwi akumunzi ino izina ndaliluba nkaambo ciindi calampa. ndakaunkidde mu mwaka wa 1989 mbulikuti.
Mutampengi calino ndizi kubabuzya Ba-baama ndaakuba tumina luwaile. Kamupona cibotu ooko andinwe. Mubajuzye kung’anda abalo.
No. 82 Legend of the Falls; Yes HH was asked to negotiate the best deal possible for Zambia. Therefore in your anology HH would have been given the brief to get the best price possible for the donkey. He was an agent for the donkey owner. If he got a secret commission to enrich himself he committed a crime. Pure and simple it means you confirm HH is corrupt.
No. 82 Legend of the Falls; it is not “proficient business accumen” to be sent to negotiate the sale of Mosi O tunya Hotel to the owners of Sun International and you sell it with ridiculous perks and incentives for Sun only to become the Sun International Board Chairman the day after the sale. That is business crookedness and unethical. Surely you do not want the UPND minister of Finance to be sent to negotiate on behalf of Zambia with some international company and the following day the minister is appointed to the Board of that company. You must admit that his behaviour is unethical.
No. 88 Maestro Hhehe…; HH does not have a “Team” unlike Late Mazoka who had easily identifiable players like Sakwiba Sikota, Bob Sichinga, Late Henry Mtonga, Patrick Chisanga, Love Mtesa, Given Lubinda etc; none of the people in HH’s so called team immeadiately stand out like the team Mazoka had. Face it HH is a loner with no team. Who are they if they exist and why do we not hear of them?
No. 88 Maestro Hhehe…: You say we should get HH to help due to his experience; I do not think the miners in Luanshya want his type of help. I also do not think the workers at the Sun Hotel from whom he stole the 10% service charges want his type of help. HH has a long history of only helping himslf and leaving thousands in misery as he deposits billions in his personal accounts.
No. 89 Obama; You can only judge if RB has no plans when he unveils his budget in January 2009 and after his address to Parliament to set out his vision. You are judging him a bit prematurely.
No. 88 Maestro Hhehe….; You say we should get HH to assist. Are you aware that the miners in Luanshya would say “no thanks” to his type of help. The workers at Sun International whom he denied their legal entitlements of 10% service charges would certainly say a big “NO” to his help. HH has a long history of only helping himself to billions of Kwacha leaving a trail of thousands in misery. Who ever benefitted wherever he had a hand except himself?
” He noted that the current copper prices were not too low to force mine owners to take such drastic measures as retrenching the miners who had contributed greatly to the huge profits made during the time when the copper prices were at their peak. ”
That is a moral argument. You can’t appeal to a capitalist’s morality. If there is no law against it, they’ll get away with whatever they can get away with.
The government should never have sold the mines, and they should use any means to get them back. Or they should at least get them to pay lots of taxes so they can invest in agriculture and infrastructure.
Selling the mines was our graviest mistake we made,but not all hope is lost.Massive retrechments is not an answer the global financial crisis.
Selling the mines was our graviest mistake we made,but not all hope is lost.Massive retrechments is not an answer to the global financial crisis.
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