Unions in the mining sector have urged Mopani Copper Mine to immediately recall over 11 000 employees sent on forced leave, following management’s decision to place the mine on care and maintenance.
This follows successive talks, held between government and Glencore, the owners of Mopani Copper Mines, who have agreed to rescind its decision to place Mufulira and Kitwe mines on care and Maintenance.
Mine Workers Union of Zambia President, Joseph Chewe said that Mopani must also reinstate all contractors, whose contracts were terminated to immediately start production.
Mr. Chewe, who was speaking during a joint media briefing in Kitwe, said that Mopani’s decision to place the Mines on care and maintenance without consulting government and unions should never be repeated.
And National Union of Miners and Allied Workers President, James Chansa said the 90 days period Mopani intends to dialogue with government on its future Must not lead to job losses.
Mr. Chansa has also commended the Government for compelling Mopani to follow the right procedure when placing the mines on care and Maintenance and urged the Mining firm to invest heavily in projects in order to boost production.
Yesterday, Glencore, the owners of Mopani Copper Mines rescinded its decision to put mines in Kitwe and Mufulira under on care and maintenance, but will instead write informing the Director of Mines of its intention to place the two mining operations on care and maintenance in 90 days, while still in dialogue with Government on possible solutions.
This followed a meeting held via video conferencing between a Team of Cabinet Ministers and Top Executives of Glencore.
Meanwhile, Government has allowed Mopani Chief Executive Officer Nathan Bullock to leave the country and Charles Sakanya has since been appointed to Act as CEO. Mr. Mulenga said Mopani Copper Mines will also avail the Government a detailed plan on how they intend to proceed in the 90 days period and possibly beyond, adding that the Mine Management has also sought relief on a number of issues mostly related to tax and in particular VAT.
Mr. Mulenga said the Minister of Finance will respond to these issues raised once he studies them and that Mopani will defer some non-production activities and reduce capital expenditure in a bid to unlock some cash flow.
Mr. Mulenga said the Government applauded the gesture of goodwill from Glencore to rescind its earlier decision and opting for dialogue.
Those that were part of the meeting are Mines Minister Richard Musukwa, Minister of Finance Dr Bwalya Ng’andu, Minister of Labour and Social Security Joyce Simukoko, while Glencore Executives included Mark Davis, Mike Westerman and Nico Paraskeva.
Some slaves in diaspora criticized our approach to this issue. However, we ensure successful talks which have led to glencore rescinding their decision to place our workers on leave. The diasporans will do anything to please their masters. I mean I don’t blame them as the saying goes do not bite the hand that feeds you. So I don’t blame them for licking the backside of their adopted nations leaders. This is why most of them are comfortable bathing and cleaning old people abroad but would never do such for their own here. They flew thousands of miles to help nations that blended their nations dry. Useless. Kz
Only a F.ool like you KZ can not read the fine print from Mopani. Not surprised , this is beyond a Lab Technician thinking…. its check mate. Pay us our VAT we give you 90 days if you don’t the mine goes into care and maintenance. This time around you will have nothing on them… Can you pay the VAT?
There goes the first slave above. As I said they will always side with their masters . Even when Zambia has done well and gotten a better deal for its workers, these asylum seeker in diaspora will never like that. The psychology here is that they feel angry for having left the country because they thought there was no hope, only now to realise that zambia and most zambians within their class are doing better than them. So they Express this anger via criticising anything positive that happens in Zambia. You will die of BP my friend.kz
Indeed this is a working govt, mopani has been compiled to recide its decision, kz take the on especialy these hegoats in the diaspora like tarino, bravo kz.
@KZ
What Zambia need is to get you and your gang of Baboons out of the maize field….
Why would i feel angry for leaving a place where people like you who in a normal country would be in jail? Ati be so called ‘Political Advisor’
You need to be called ‘Violence Advisor….’
By the way we know that you are just an imposter ….
The problem with us zambians is because we place so much trust in foreigners and think they would improve our economy to the contrary it doesn’t work that way .
Now that we have learnt several lessons better we do what is best for our people , number one take the biggest shares from those mines ,two have investor as partners in mining, three have two equal managers one zambian and the other representing the partner company.
Make proper agreements that protect Zambian employees .
Agree with them that no worker shall be laid off without the government’s consent .
Paraphrasing and semantics. The “difference is the same”. The bottom line is that the “care and maintenance” issue is still with us.
This is good news. Every business has hiccups and challenges but going through and past them is most important. Noma aka ka kzkach1k4l4 ka kula ne tole limo fist reponse is to insult anyone is dispora. Me now also its nyo nyo nyo to hime till he stops. we love our country
Its clear some people do not see how Mopani has played this game of chess maybe this is a sophisticated game….I have always said these mining executives are too savvy for these dull ministers like Richard the former Primary School Tutor…they have seen an opportunity to get their VAT repayments which PF has been sitting on or sat on it then misappropriated it.
TheEngineer – Dont mind the man-child impostor …this is too complex for him let him be alone cloning accounts and second guessing what Kz or Bowman would say!
TheEngineer – Dont mind the man-child impostor …this is too complex for him let him be alone cloning accounts and second guessing what Kz or Bowman would say!
TheEngineer – Dont mind the man-child impostor …this is too complex for him let him be alone cloning accounts and second guessing what Kz or Bowman would say!
Glencore has not ordered the resumption of operations at Mopani, they’ve only indicated that they will follow the 90 days notice to cease operations requirement. Why are cadres excited? Are these the people that sit with Edgar to advise him if they can’t understand a straight forward statement? Even Unions are misleading their members. It’s up to the other 2 shareholders to show capacity and willingness to takeover management of those assets
Mopani does not own Zambia, but Zambia owns Mopani. We are the Landlords and Mopani is the tenant…
This are foreigners on our soil and government should be more the biting type than the baking type..
you are spreading information to tell people everything is okay whilst miners are still at home and have not returned to work..
we already have the problem of Covid-19 to deal with, we can’t afford unemployment of 11 000 Zambians.
if mopani has failed, let them pack and go and give the mine to other investors, the copper won’t rot.
MR PRESIDENT, YOUR SERIOUS RULING ON THIS MATTER WILL BE APPRECIATED.
Mopani does not own Zambia, but Zambia owns Mopani. We are the Landlords and Mopani is the tenant…
This are foreigners on our soil and government should be more the biting type than the baking type..
you are spreading information to tell people everything is okay whilst miners are still at home and have not returned to work..
we already have the problem of Covid-19 to deal with, we can’t afford unemployment of 11 000 Zambians.
if mopani has failed, let them pack and go and give the mine to other investors, the copper won’t rot.
MR PRESIDENT, YOUR SERIOUS RULING ON THIS MATTER WILL BE APPRECIATED.