By Dean Chisambo
Machinga North East Member of Parliament (MP) Anjiru Kalitendele has promised to assist Old mining workers to get their dues.
Speaking after receiving a petition from the ex- mining workers at parliament building in Lilongwe,Kalitendele said the petition has reached the right hands since it is Parliament session .
He promised that he will be able to take the petition to the speaker’s office and that it will go to the relevant officers who will deal with it .
Kalitendele further said people were using it as a campaign tool to say if people will vote for them, they will be able to pay the old mining workers dues.
“It works like these people are tired because it is a story which they have been telling in almost every campaign time,”he said.
He expressed optimism that once he delivers the petition to the speaker, she will bring it in the house to be deliberated because it is a national issue.
In his sentiments, one of the ex- miners Messiah Mbukwa from Karonga district said , he is very sad about the old people who worked in South Africa but are not paid their benefits.
He said that previous government promised that they will pay them but nothing was done.
Then Chakwera got into power and promised to pay them but until now they have not been paid .
He said:” We have gone to minister of labour , they have crooked , nothing which has been showing , they are just cheating the old people.”
About 35,000 ex- miners who worked in South African mines between early 1970’s to late 1980’s are those who are damanding government to pay their dues.
