By NCHIMUNYA MIYOBA
Zambia Metal Recycling Association (ZMRA) has asked the Zambia Railways limited to put on hold the sell of scrap metal until they put in measures that will minimize the levels of vandalism of national infrastructure.
Speaking after the tour of various companies that deal in metal yesterday, ZMRA President Jimmy Luo said Government is spending huge sums of money every year to replace the rails that are illegally sold as scrap to metal dealers.
Mr Luo said ZRL should put all sale of scrap metal on hold until they put their house in order and safe guard their infrastructure from vandalism
Mr Luo expressed disappointment that some ZRL security personnel have been implicated in the recent case of theft of the national assets.
Mr Luo said it has come to the attention of the association that some metal dealers are using good rails belonging to the Zambia Railways Limited and selling them to unsuspecting dealers.
He said the essence of the tour of the companies by the taskforce that comprises stakeholders from Ministry of Commerce, Zamtel, Zesco, Zambia Railways, Good time steel and ZMRA is to ascertain the level of compliance by its members.
He urged scrap metal dealers to always buy scrap from genuine and licensed dealers as stipulated by the scrap metal Act to avoid been caught up by the law.
He said the association is hopeful that ZRL will move on site and verify if all scrap found has papers.
And Zambia Railways in charge of infrastructure on the Copperbelt Bonny Mwamba said the company has experienced high levels of vandalism of infrastructure.
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