Africa-Press – Zambia. It has emerged that Kansanshi Mining PLC in Solwezi last month awarded a hefty contract to a South African cleaning company, Mr. Clean to provide laundry services to miners.
The Cleaning Association of Zambia has since written to Kansanshi Mining PLC to withdraw the contract given to Mr. Clean Limited, a South African owned cleaning company that came into Zambia with Shoprite in 1995.
Association President Lawrence Makumbi who travelled to Solwezi over the weekend to present a petition to mine management is demanding that Kansanshi Mining Plc terminates the contract for going against Statutory Instrument No. 22 of 2019 which makes cleaning a preserve of Zambian owned companies.
Mr. Makumbi has warned that failure to terminate this contract will leave his Association with no choice but to organize mass demonstrations and ultimately march to State House to air their grievances to President Hakainde Hichilema.
He has explained that the association is now tired of nepotistic tendencies by some individuals who want to give business to their country folk at the expense of Zambians even when the law is clear.
Mr. Makumbi is hopeful that Kansanshi Mine will do the right thing within 60 days and continue on its good path of being amongst the Best corporate citizens in the country. He said the Association is also demanding that the Laundry contract be re-advertised and offered to a deserving Zambian owned company.
“Our Hope is Kansanshi Mine will do the right thing within 60 days and continue on its good path of being amongst the Best corporate citizens in the country, by ensuring that this Laundry contract be re advertised and offered to a deserving Zambian owned company that will bring pride to our Nation. We look forward to Kansanshi Mine helping the Government build a better image of the Country, as we may be the laughing stoke of the world,” Mr. Makumbi wrote in a Demand Letter to mine management.
“How will the whole world look at Zambians, We Importing underwear washing services? No one will take us seriously, it’s an insult to our Country’s pride and to our Government Leadership.”
“We wish to state that Mr. Clean is a South African owned company that came into Zambia with Shoprite in 1995, This company’s growth in Zambia has been supported by those individuals (Foreign and compromised Locals) peddling and pushing the ugly vice of nepotism. Mr. Clean has been shielded from any competition at Shoprite for almost 30 years at all branches countrywide,” he wrote.
“They are now getting the business that Zambians can compete for at Kansanshi and some individual in the past, allowed them to dominate for 15 years at Kansanshi which we were against and the contract was terminated. Kansanshi parted ways with Mr. Clean 2 years ago because (in part) of the nepotistic tendencies that the Cleaning Association had exposed about 5 years ago. The return of this company at Kansanshi will only mean a return to old ways.”
He demanded, “We shall ask that Kansanshi and Government security wings work flat out to root out this and many underhand methods in this matter and also expose the breaking of the Law SI 22 of 2019.” And Kansanshi Mining Plc Public Relations Manager Godfrey Msiska said the company will issue a press statement on the issue at an appropriate time.
According to Statutory Instrument No. 22 of 2019, commercial cleaning is reserve for targeted citizens, citizens influenced companies, citizens empowered companies and citizen owned companies as defined in The Citizens Economic Empowerment Act No. 9 of 2006.
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