KCM workers in 3 months’ salary arrears

WORKERS of GRN Construction Company engaged by Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) have gone for three months without being paid.

This has been revealed that, the constructor has not been paid by KCM for nine months which had led to the three salary arrears.

Workers complained that the Minister of Mine and Minerals Development, Paul Kabuswe, was doing nothing to help them by ensuring that the matter at hand was resolved.

“We need to make a step, us going to some individuals to seek help nothing will happen, even if we go to the Minister of Mines it is even worse, our unions they will not tell us anything.

Why are we saying this, the unions came from here (Chililabombwe) went to demonstrate in Kitwe did they talk about issues affecting contractors, no, they went talk about the K2,500 they were promised. We are at GRN office and we are told they are not paid for nine months, so we need to engage the DC, “they said.

The workers said it was uncalled that the situation could reach to this stage which could be avoided when things were in order.

They said the situation at the giant mine can be resolved when Government put things in order so that operations can be in full swing.

And the Advocates for National Development and Democracy (ANDD) urged Government to work at fast pace in revamping in the mine before the worst happened.

Executive Director, Samuel Banda, said it was evident that thing were not ok seeing that GRN Construction Company workers had gone for three months without getting paid.

Mr Banda said his organisation and other well-meaning stakeholders had been urging the Government to deal with this matter once and for all.

He said if Vedanta Resources had already taken over the operations of KCM, such things would not had been happening.

Mr Banda said even most of the economic challenges the country was grappling with such as the rapid depreciation of the Kwacha ,high unemployment levels and cost of living, if KCM and Mopani Mines were operating at optimum level, such challenges would had been a thing of the past.