Mopani Copper Mines has refuted reports that the company’s procurement function has been moved to South Africa.

In a statement, Monday, MCM public relations manager Nebert Mulenga stated that the reports were fake as all business decisions would solely be managed by the local team at Mopani.

“Mopani Copper Mines Plc wishes to dismiss media reports that the company’s procurement function has been relocated to South Africa. All business decisions and operations of contractors will be solely managed by the local team at Mopani,” he stated.

He stated that the company had further introduced the Zambia Contract Ownership Development Initiative (ZCODI) to promote local participation in contracts issued by the mine.

“We have additionally introduced the Zambia Contract Ownership Development Initiative (ZCODI). The ZCODI will promote safety, efficiency and local participation while ensuring 100 percent Zambian-owned companies gain experience, build capacity and benefit from skills and technology transfer by working closely with a wide range of companies. Mopani believes the Zambian economy will benefit from the ZCODI programme by growing the pool of experienced small to medium sized companies that can compete favorably across the country’s industrial sector as well as ensuring that a significant percentage of the revenues from large contracts issued by Mopani benefits local companies,” stated Mulenga.