By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA –

KONKOLA Copper Mines (KCM) and Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) are this monthend expected to start remitting statutory contributions for their workers to the National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA).
This follows the Government’s move to sign Statutory Instrument (SI) number one of 2014 which revoked the NAPSA exemption the two mining giants were awarded by the previous government of the MMD.
The move has cheered the Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) and its National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) who have commended the Government for the move aimed at guaranteeing social security to the miners.
MUZ general secretary Joseph Chewe and NUMAW president James Chansa said at a joint Press briefing held in Kitwe on Friday that the step taken by the Government was progressive as it had guaranteed social security to their members once out of employment.
Mr Chewe said compelling KCM and MCM to start contributing their employees’ statutory contributions to NAPSA would greatly benefit the miners.
“We commend the Government for signing the SI that revoked the exemption on KCM and MCM to remit contributions to NAPSA because this will benefit us miners in terms of social security,” Mr Chewe said.
“We have seen that the Government is living by its commitment of uplifting the living standards of its people by ensuring that they have more money in the pockets.”
Mr Chewe urged miners not to have mixed feelings over the NAPSA statutory contributions as it was for their own good.
He said even with the coming of NAPSA’s statutory contributions on board, KCM and MCM would still continue with the other existing in-house pension schemes.
And Mr Chansa assured the miners of the unions’ effective representation and urged them to continue working hard.