MOPANI ACCUSED OF IGNORING INJUNCTION

ABOUTsix families in Kitwe whose houses were demolished by Mopani Copper Mine, have complained that the mining firm destroyed their houses, even after they had obtained a court injunction to stop the exercise.

The families have been left homeless after their houses were on Tuesday demolished by Zambia police and Mopani Copper Mines police in Kitwe.

The houses were alleged to have been built on a piece of land belonging to the mine in Mindolo West.

One of the affected developers, Patrick Chanda, said that they got a court injunction to restrain Mopani from demolishing their structures but that the mining firm disregarded the court order, claiming it was not a real one.

He disclosed that the affected families would engage a lawyer to seek advice on what they should do next.

"My structure was valued at K2.3 million while one of my friends had his house valued at over K3 million by Government property evaluators," Dr Chanda said.

He said that the decision by Mopani was disastrous to the affected people as they had spent huge sums of money constructing the structures.

He expressed shock that Mopani was claiming ownership of the land which was offered to them by the Kitwe City Council through a proper procedure.

Dr Chanda said the affected developers were given the parcels of land by the council and followed the due process and obtained title deeds from the Ministry of Lands in Ndola.

But Mopani Copper Mines Public Relations Manager Nebert Mulenga said that the company undertook the demolition exercise to secure a small piece land that had been encroached.

"The company undertook the demolition exercise after a comprehensive community stakeholder engagement through notices, community road shows and radio announcements," Mr Mulenga said.

And Kitwe City Council Town Clerk Mbulo Seke said the council had not yet seen the affected people’s offer letters to establish how they got the pieces of land.

Mr. Seke explained that for one to begin building, they ought to have a building plan approved by the council and the offer letter must be accompanied by minutes of a council meeting that approved the offer.

Kitwe has of late witnessed frequent massive demolitions of properties alleged to have been built in illegally obtained pieces of land.

Recently, about 150 households from Luyando Community Association had their houses demolished by Mopani Copper mines in Mindolo North after the mine claimed that the community had encroached on its land.

Government has since secured a piece of land in New Kitwe across Kafue River where the victims who are currently lodged at Hellen Kaunda secondary School grounds would be relocated to.