KCM workers urged to remain calm

THE Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) has urged Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) miners to remain calm in view of the current happenings at the giant-mining firm. MUZ general secretary Joseph Chewe said miners should not completely lose hope over the operational challenges at KCM because with necessary measures put in place, the company could still bounce back.

Mr Chewe said in an interview in Kitwe yesterday that the recent uncertainty surrounding KCM and Vedantta Resources in particular should not make miners to completely lose hope. “What is important for now is for KCM to commit itself to implementing identified measures that will help turn around the economic fortunes of the company because it is still viable,” Mr Chewe said.

He, however, said the problem facing KCM and the protests in London against Vedantta should serve as a wake up call to the Government over the need to have some level of management control in mining operations in the country.

“If we had some management control, we could easily have avoided some of the things happening in mining companies like KCM,” he said.

Mr Chewe said the KCM situation was worrying MUZ because should the mine go under, miners would be affected. He urged Government to continue monitoring the operations of KCM closely so that necessary measures were taken to avoid any surprises. Vice-President Guy Scott recently said Government was closely monitoring KCM operations.