Help Black Mountain victim’s families - PF

COMPANIES operating at the Black Mountain in Kitwe should help bereaved families to ease the burden of losing their loved ones, says Patriotic Front secretary-general Davies Mwila.

Mr Mwila said the deaths of 11 youths at the Black Mountain was a blow to their families and it was imperative that companies helped them in various ways to lessen the burden of losing their loved ones.

+e Zas speaNing at a media briefing at 6hebourne Guest House in Kitwe after visiting the funeral houses where he gave K2, 500 to each family for use during the mourning period.

³:hen a person dies Ze lose a lot oI things. ,I that person had a wife and children, then they are left without a bread winner. Apart from losing a bread winner, most importantly, they lose the life of their beloYed relatiYe. 6o it is important that Ze find a way forward after losing these youths.

“The way forward is to look after the families of youths who died in the disaster. The companies Zhich operate at the %lacN 0ountain should find a way of helping the bereaved families,” Mr Mwila said.

Mr Mwila said even if the 11 youths who died at the Black Mountain were not working for any com- pany the firms should help the Iamilies start some businesses.

“According to the information we have received, these youths were not working for any company at the Black Mountain, but because we are human beings who should care about each other, we should help their families. The other thing is that they died at the Black Mountain,” he said.

He said the Ministry of Mines should enforce safety measures to protect the lives of people working at the site.

³,nstead oI talNing all sorts oI things Zhat is needed now is the Ministry of Mines to enforce strict safety measures to ensure that lives of people are protected,” he said.

Mr Mwila was accompanied by members of the PF central committee, Kebby Mbewe, Davies Chisopa, PF Copperbelt chairman Stephen Kainga and members of the small-scale miners from various companies at the Black Mountain.

And speaking at the funeral house of Rodgers Bwalya, uncle of the deceased, Maybin Sampa thanked the government and other sympathisers who helped the family during their bereavement.

Mr Sampa said he was hoping that Government would continue to mourn with the bereaved families.