By Nawa Mutumweno (Zambia) – It boggles the mind to note that one could be in Zambia but would end up flying, eating, banking and shopping South African and then retire to a South African hotel to watch South African television. This brings into sharp focus how deep inroads the African economic giant has made into the affairs of its neighbors and beyond. The collapse of apartheid in 1994 opened up South Africa to the rest of the world. It also opened the rest of Africa to South Africa. Apart from the rise in exports of goods to other African... Continue Reading
Maamba Collieries Limited (MCL) has acquired a new processing plant that is scheduled to be mounted in three months’ time. The firm is jointly owned by Nava Bharat Ferro Alloys Limited (NBFA) and the Zambian government. MCL has announced that it has secured $100 million for its new thermal power plant that is expected to contribute 300 megawatts of electricity to the national grid. According to MCL chief executive officer Kalunga Mumba, another $108 million will be spent on building a new processing plant to replace the old one that had become obsolete. “The initial idea was to revamp production... Continue Reading
By Nawa Mutumweno (Zambia) -The commissioning of the 1 500 metres depth mid-shaft at Konkola Deep Mining Project in Chilalabombwe will increase production from the current two million tonnes to seven million tonnes of copper ore per annum by 2012. According to KDMP general manager Raj Kulkarni, currently Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) produces 50 000 tonnes of finished copper annually from its mine at Konkola Integrated Business Unit (IBU) but when ongoing expansion works at KDMP are fully commissioned, the mine will produce 200 000 tonnes of finished copper. The shaft, which was commissioned in April by President Rupiah Banda,... Continue Reading
A Chinese bank and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) will lend state-owned power utility Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) $430 million to raise the capacity of a hydropower station by 360MW, according to Zambia’s energy minister. Zambia, Africa’s top copper producer, will need to raise the power generation capacity to ensure sufficient supply as demand is expected to rise on the back of new investments in mining and other sectors. Energy minister Kenneth Konga said funds from the Export and Import Bank of China (EXIM) and DBSA would pay for the extension of the Kariba North Bank power... Continue Reading
By Own Correspondent – ADDIS ABABA – The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr. Jean Ping has returned to Addis Ababa after participating in the 14th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Common Market for Eastern and Central Africa (COMESA). The meeting was held in Ezulwini, Swaziland from 31 August to 01 September 2010 under the theme: “Harnessing Science and Technology for Development.” Addressing delegates at the summit, Dr. Ping observed that there is a positive correlation between scientific and technical development on the one hand and development in general. He noted that Africa’s contribution of... Continue Reading
