Lusaka - Indian company Vedanta Resources Plc has closed its biggest operation at Zambia’s Konkola Copper Mine, because of electricity load shedding, leaving about 3 000 miners jobless.
Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) informed its workers on Friday that it would have to lay them off because its biggest operation, the Nchanga Underground mine, has been placed under care and maintenance because of power shortages.
Power utility Zesco Limited has been rationing power across the country, with the mines feeling the impact as their operations consume most of the power generated in the country.
In a circular to all affected employees sent by its human resources department, KCM stated that the mine had no other option but to put itself under care and maintenance as running it had become unaffordable.
In November, 2013, KCM, which is Zambia’s biggest mine employer with almost 20 000 employees from all its operations, laid off 1 500 workers after introducing advanced mechanisation and automation for all its operations.
However, then Zambian President Michael Sata threatened to revoke the company’s mining license if it did not reverse its decision to fire employees.
ANA