NO MORE SLAVERY TREATMENT FOR OUR PEOPLE – COPPERBELT MINISTER HON. ELISHA MATAMBO
As he toured China Copper Mine in Chingola to familiarize himself with recent stand offs at the mine
China Copper Mine (CCM) a Chinese mining investment has created hundreds of jobs for the local people since it started investment in Zambia’s Chingola District in 2010.
The company has in the recent past been having issues with employees downing tools on several occasions due to slave wages and inhumane treatment.
Touring the CCM mining site on Saturday, Copperbelt Minister Hon. Elisha Matambo appreciated the $50 million investment the company has put up which has created over 700 employment opportunities to Chingola residents.
The Copperbelt Minister was however not happy with the company’s management for mistreatment of employees who have been subjected to inhumane conditions such as poor sanitary, unhygienic dinning hall, 12 hours shifts without day offs and slave wages among others.
Hon Matambo said Zambia’s mining policies are supportive of private sector investment, which was vital for the country’s economic growth, but this does not mean investors must subject our people to poor conditions of service.
“As far as I remain the Minister of Copperbelt, I will make sure that our people are treated in a manner that is befitting a human being and there will be no more slavery treatment for our people.” Hon Matambo said.
The Copperbelt Minister also discovered that workers were not free to express themselves to him in the presence of management as many have been fired for expressing themselves when Government Officials visited the company under the former President Edgar Lungu PF led Government.
Hon Matambo assured the workers that time for fear to freely express themselves was long gone with the PF regime which never protected it’s Zambian workers.
“Under the New Dawn Goverment led by H.E Mr Hakainde Hichilema, everyone was free to express themselves within their rights. No one should suppress the rights of the other.” Hon. Matambo encouraged the workers.
A couple of weeks ago the workers at CCM staged a protest over management’s failure to provide decent toilets, failure to suppress dust, long working hours which was against was against Occupational Health fatigue management, non registration of family members on company medical scheme and meagre salaries which led to the dismissal of 28 workers.
Hon. Elisha Matambo told CCM Management to immediately reinstate, unconditionally, the 28 fired employees and that CCM should start treating employees well. He further encouraged Management to also revisit the salary scale according to labor laws and build proper Toilets for workers.
Hon. Matambo said a well renumerated worker was a motivated worker who would greatly contribute to high production.
The Hon Minister for Copperbelt gave a 30 days ultimatum to CCM in which to resolve the workers concerns.
The Copperbelt Minister also demanded through the Chingola Mayor and acting DC that Health Inspectors should go and visit the mine within the 30 Days as Zambians deserved better work environment.
According to our Manifesto, UPND will soon establish proper labour and employment policy reforms to ensure that harmony and healthy synergies existed between the workforce and the private investors.
Issued by//
Sam Mwikisa
Copperbelt Youth Spokesperson
(C) UPND MEDIA TEAM