A medical history of African mineworkers at Kabwe mine,1904-1964
Date
2016
Authors
Ng'ambi, Chibesa
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
Few subjects have attracted as much scholarly attention during the colonial period in Zambia as
African mineworkers. Most historical works that discuss the activities of this influential labour
group have approached it from the prisms of their struggle or constant clashes with mining
capital or their role in negotiating political change, particularly the transition from colonial rule
to independence. The examination of the health of mineworkers however, has surprisingly been a
neglected area of study, notwithstanding the fact that it was a vital component of productivity.
Another major characteristic of studies on mineworkers in colonial Zambia is their exclusive
focus on the Copperbelt, as if that was the only area in the territory where African miners were
found. Set against this narrow background, this study examines the health of African
mineworkers at Kabwe Mine, the first mine to be opened in colonial Zambia, and the changing
attitude of mining companies towards their plight from 1904 to 1964.
The study shows a consistent interaction between the demand for lead and zinc on the
international market and the health of African mineworkers in colonial Zambia. It argues that in
times of economic decline or conflict, such as during the worldwide recession of the 1930s,
mining authorities paid little attention to the health of their African employees. Thus, such
periods witnessed high incidence of disease such as malaria, influenza, tuberculosis, lead
poisoning and those induced by poor diet like malnutrition. The dissertation shows that when the
demand and price of zinc and lead increased, such as during and after the Second World War,
company authorities invested in the health of their African employees in order to maintain
production and generate increased revenue. It also shows that, increased production during and
after the Second World War raised the threat of industrial diseases such as lead poisoning and
tuberculosis. By focussing on African mineworkers outside the Copperbelt and a subject
unrelated to economic concerns, the study contributes to the history of labour in colonial Zambia,
further highlighting the role of public health in it.
Description
Thesis
Keywords
Mining--Zambia , African mineworkers--Medical history--Zambia