Scores of Mopani copper mines employees led by copperbelt patriotic front provincial leadership today matched through Kitwe town center to protest against Glencore’s decision to place the mine under care and maintenance and send most of its 11000 strong workforce on 3 months mandatory leave.
The miners have suggested the need for government to find 4 different investors to run the shafts that Mopani operates between Kitwe and mufulira to avoid the situation Glencore has allegedly created where operations are paralyzed by a single decision.
And patriotic front provincial chairman Nathan Chanda has accused some Zambian Mopani copper mines management employees of oppressing their fellow Zambians by siding with glencores unpopular decision.
Meanwhile, an altercation ensued between police officers and a consortium of copperbelt based members of parliament who included pf mufulira central MP Evans chibanda, wusakile MP Pavyuma kalobo and Kamfinsa constituency MP Elalio Musonda after police officers attempted to stop them from leading the protesting miners into the Mopani copper mines central office premises.
The mineworkers union of Zambia -MUZ- and national union of miners and allied workers have issued a 4 day ultimatum to Glencore to reinstate employees and rescind its decision to place Mopani copper mines on care and maintenance failure to which a huge protest will be staged on Tuesday.
Muz president Joseph chewe and his numaw counterpart James chansa have also advised miners who received letters to hand them to the unions so they can be returned to Mopani management while those that have not received should reject the letters.
Zambia: MOPANI EMPLOYEES PROTEST GLENCORE’S DECISION TO PLACE MINE UNDER CARE AND MAINTENANCE
