Mon, 12 Jun 2017 09:39:54 +0000
By Rogers Kalero
ILLEGAL miners in Chingola have said giving them the disused dump sites at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) would be the best form of empowerment which would go a long way to make them self-sustaining, especially with the high unemployment levels in the country.
And Mines and Mineral Development Minister Christopher Yaluma has said he would meet KCM to find how best the illegal miners, popularly known as Jerabos, could be empowered with one of the disused dump sites.
Speaking on behalf of other Jerabos, Sonta Chingola Cooperative vice-chairman Douglas Chilembi said more than 2,000 youths were crying to Government to find a way of how they could empower them with one of the disused dump sites where they could be carrying out their mining activities.
Mr Chilembi was speaking on Friday when the Mines minister went on a tour of some of KCM dump sites where the Jerabos have been carrying out illegal mining activities.
He said once given the dump sites, no Jerabo will be going to KCM to cause confusion, adding that Jerabos will instead help the giant mining company with security.
“As Jerabos, we are crying to you, as your children, and we are hopeful that, as a caring parent, you will listen to our cries. If you give us these disused dump sites, then that would be the best form of empowerment which would go a long way to make us self-sustaining, especially with the high unemployment levels in the country.
“We are more than 2,000 youths who depend on these activities as a way of earning a living. If you empower us, then those youths who are causing confusion in KCM will stop. We know them and we can help KCM to arrest them,” Mr Chilembi said.
And leader of the Jerabos in Chingola, Kabaso Mulenga, popularly known as Spax, said the Government and President Edgar Lungu have always demonstrated that they were responsible parents by intervening in issues involving Jerabos.
“Hon. minister, Sir, send this message to President Lungu that we are happy with his leadership which cares about the youths. Whenever there is an incident involving the Jerabos here in Chingola, he usually sends his ministers to check what is on the ground.
“This is an indication that he has regard for us although some people may look down on us. So he should remain focused,” he said.
In response, Mr Yaluma said his tour of the pits and disused dump sites in the company of the Jerabos was a fact-finding mission and that he would sit with KCM to discuss the matter.
He said after meeting KCM officials, he would meet the Jerabos to find the way forward on the matter.
“If the Jerabos are given the dump sites, then everything has to be formalized and issues of safety would be of vital importance,” Mr Yaluma said.
