Kansanshi Mine, Solwezi council seal rates deal

By JACKSON MAPAPAYI KANSANSHI Mining Company has entered into a partnership with Solwezi Municipal council which will see part of the property rates payable to Solwezi council channelled to various developmental projects within the district.

This year, the mining company would do road works in lieu of payment of property rates. Speaking during the launch of the reconstruction and construction of about 4.5km of township roads at a total cost of K3.34 million, Solwezi Mayor Nicholas Mukumbi said the partnership would not only add value to the town but would also improve people’s livelihood. The partnership, he said, would help speed up the process of declaring the town into a city. Mayor Nicholas Mukumbi said the partnership was anchored on developmental projects that would help transform the face of the district.

He said under the partnership, the works include the reconstruction including shouldering and road edge construction, road section reconstruction and pothole patching on good sections.

"And more works are budgeted for in the 2018 budget under similar partnership, he said.”. He encouraged property owners in the district to be paying property rates to the council to enable the council deliver better quality services to the people.

And First Quantum Minerals roads department general manager Rodney Parker pledged to complete the works within the given time frame.