Africa-Press – Zambia. The Government has officially handed over 30 % of the Kitwe Mineral Slag Dump commonly known as Black Mountain to cooperatives owned by the local youth and women.
The Black Mountain located between Wusakile and Nkana West is owned by Nkana Alloy, who are the major shareholders with the Government having a minor stake.
President Hakainde Hichilema last Sunday announced on Facebook the handover of the Kitwe Black Mountain to a Consortium of cooperatives representing all the 10 districts of the Copperbelt province, the Women in mining group, and the Community hosting the black mountain.
The Ministry Arrives for Blackmountain Handover ceremony When handing over the 30% portion of the Black Mountain in Kitwe late on Thursday afternoon, Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Paul Kabuswe told the cooperatives to begin operations with immediate effect.
Mr. Kabuswe said the youth and women groups should use the first seven days to ensure that safety measures and a pickup point of chrome for scavengers is secured.
He warned operators at the Black Mountain to ensure that the safety of scavenger’s is guaranteed. Mr. Kabuswe reminded operators that the Government will not condone gangsterism, cadrelism and jerabo behavior during operations at the slug damp.
Mr Kabuswe, who was accompanied by Copperbelt Minister Elisha Matambo, said order and sanity should prevail during the operations adding that all cooperatives that have been engaged were scrutinized.
“The community has been given 30%, that is the Zambian youths, the Kitwe District, the Copperbelt Province, the women. Actually I want this point to be clear, the Black Mountain belongs to the youths, belongs to the women in mining and it belongs to all Zambians. So we have handed over 30% of the Black Mountain to the beneficiaries and the beneficiaries are all in the form of cooperatives being represented by all districts on the Copperbelt. All the ten districts of the Copperbelt have cooperatives that are benefiting from the Black Mountain,” Mr. Kabuswe said.
“And you, the media, somebody did a headline today that is very kokai. Please report the correct thing. Every stakeholder was consulted about the modalities on how we have handed over the Black Mountain to our people. It will be in the form of cooperatives that are all over the place so please take that clear and it is 30% of the total Black Mountain that we have handed over. In this vein I would like to thank Nkana Alloy who have been magnanimous in our discussions and that now we have 30% of the Black Mountain handed over to our youths,” Mr. Kabuswe said.
UPND cadres at the Black Mountain Handover ceremony The Mines Minister further said a trust fund will be opened which will be run by Kitwe District Commissioner Lawrence Mwanza for people to apply for resources to be coming from the mountain.
Mr. Matambo is elated that President Hakainde Hichilema is fulfilling his campaign promises. Mr Matambo added that mining will remain the backbone of Zambia’s economy for many years.
Kitwe District Commissioner Lawrence Mwanza said local people should fully benefit from the operations at the Black Mountain. Meanwhile, Wusakile youths who gathered at the Black Mountain to witness the official handover want to fully benefit from the operations despite not belonging to cooperatives.
The male scavengers, who are not in cooperatives, said they are wondering why the government is prioritizing cooperatives at the expense of people who have been operating at the site for many years.
There was heavy Police presence around the Black Mountain before and after the handover ceremony. In September last year, Mr. Kabuswe suspended mining activities at all dumpsites until there was sanity in the operations.
In the recent past there were calls on the Government to allow the resumption of operations at the Black Mountain in Kitwe. Youths on the Copperbelt recently demanded for a clear roadmap on how activities will be conducted at the dump site once operations resume.
For More News And Analysis About Zambia Follow Africa-Press
