Government says it has advised its attorneys in South Africa to appeal against a court ruling in South Africa ordering Zambia to halt the liquidation of Vedanta unit assets at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM).
Minister od Mines and Minerals Development Richard Musukwa says foreign judgements are not applicable and have no jurisdiction in Zambia without being registered.
Mr. Musukwa says foreign jurisdictions have to undergo a rigorous registration process without which they have no effect on Zambian processes.
He has advised Zambians to remain calm over the process is still ongoing.
And Justice Minister Given Lubinda says Attorney Gerneals Likando Mukumbuta has also been requested to join the appeal to express Zambia’s capabilities to handle local matters.
Mr. Lubinda says foreign powers cannot in anyway undermine decisions made by local courts on local matters.
This comes barely a week after Mines Minister Richard Musukwa told the Media at a briefing that Government would win the KCM liquidation case no matter where the matter is taken in the world.
According to Reuters News Agency, South Africa’s High Court has granted Vedanta Resources an urgent interdict halting the liquidation of its Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) unit in Zambia until a final decision is made through arbitration.
Reuters explains that Vedanta has been locked in a dispute with the Zambian government since May when it appointed a liquidator to run KCM, which is 20% owned by Zambia’s state mining company ZCCM and the rest by Vedanta. Zambia accused KCM of breaching the terms of its license.