ZAMBIA BREWERIES RESUME OPERATIONS AFTER ONE DAY CLOSURE.

Zambian Breweries has resumed normal operations at its Mungwi Road plant in Lusaka after prompt action by government authorities to resolve problems with fuel tankers parking dangerously close to the company’s premises.

Zambian Breweries was forced to close operations and evacuate staff at its factory in Lusaka’s main industrial area November 9 after record numbers of highly explosive fuel tankers parked on the roads surrounding it premises.

More than 100 petrol tankers lined Mungwi Road, and surrounding side roads on 9^th November, double-parking on one side of the road and single parking on the other side, just metres from the company’s boundary.

Government initiated measures to resolve the situation, but in the meantime the company had deployed security personnel to patrol the tankers and stamp out any cooking fires.
Zambian Breweries Managing Director Annabelle Degroot has praised government for its swift response after the brewery declared a temporary one-day closure amid concerns about the trucks parked on the roads next to its factory.
“We have been informed by the Ministry of Energy and Water Development that 115 identified trucks will be diverted to Ndola Fuel Terminal in order to ease congestion in Lusaka. I would like to thank the ministry for their extremely prompt and decisive action to safeguard life and property,” said Mrs Degroot.
“This is a difficult issue and the authorities have worked diligently to balance competing interests and prioritise the safety of the people working in businesses in the industrial area,” she added.
Zambian Breweries was confident that a long-term solution to the issue of parked fuel tankers was being worked on as a matter of urgency.

The development sent shivers to residents in fear that the popular Mosi, Castle Lite and Castle was going to runout of out stock.