The Association of Mine Suppliers and Contractors of Zambia – AMSCZ has bemoaned the low volume of business given or subcontracted to local mine contractors and suppliers by Chinese owned mine companies in Zambia.
AMSCZ president Augustine Mubanga said currently very few suppliers are getting business from most of Chinese owned mines in Zambia like CNMC Luanshya Copper Mines.
Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, Mubanga said, “Business in Chinese owned mines is not so much to write home about because most of the goods and materials are procured from China, so they bring all that stuff from China by themselves.
Mubanga said this situation does not allow local suppliers opportunities to business with the said companies.
“We have very few suppliers supplying CNMC Luanshya Copper Mine, business in Chinese owned mines is not so much to write home about because most of the goods and material are procured from China, so they bring all that stuff from China by themselves which does not give opportunities to local contractors and suppliers to do business,” he said.
Mubanga said the business that is given to locals is very insignificant and nothing to write home about. He said the association has been pushing to have a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Zambia to discuss the same issues of local Mine suppliers and contractors doing more business in Chinese owned mines.
Mubanga said unfortunately, the association has not been able to secure a meeting with the ambassador, as there has been no response from him. “From our previous push, we were requesting for a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Zambia to discuss the same issues of business in Chinese owned mines,
“Unfortunately we could not secure a meeting with the ambassador, so that we can table all those issues. We could not get any response at all. He however, said, for the few that are doing business with the Chinese companies, they have not had issues with payments.
Some of the notable Chinese owned mines in Zambia include, CNMC Luanshya Copper Mine, Chibuluma Mines Plc and Chambishi Copper Smelter among others.
