By STAFF WRITER
A heated dispute has erupted between Edward Kapungwe, a leader of the Jerabo stone dealers in Chingola District, and Kabaso Mulenga, alias Spax, over allegations of harassment and illegal mining activities.
Kapungwe disputed Spax’s claims of harassment, calling them false, and instead alleged that Spax is, unwilling to share resources with struggling youths.
Kapungwe claimed that Spax personalized dump sites meant for all youths and used the Sensele Mine license to operate on other sites, disadvantaging others.
Furthermore, Kapungwe alleged that Spax’s mining operations are illegal, as the property sits on government-owned land.
He revealed that he approached Spax to allow others to benefit from the pits, but Spax vehemently refused.
In contrast to the controversy, Kapungwe praised President Hakainde Hichilema’s government for supporting small-scale miners.
He expressed gratitude for the president’s efforts to provide machinery, acknowledging the improvement from the previous regime’s unsafe manual methods.
Kapungwe appealed to President Hichilema to ensure small-scale miners receive mining licenses and urged fellow stone dealers to be patient and allow the president to fulfill his promise.
