Roy Lander, chairman of Anglo-American Corporation and several other companies in Zimbabwe, is going places. He is now on the board of the state-controlled Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM) following the forced removal of one of the longest serving directors, Andrew Sardanis.
Sardanis, a financier and industrialist, who is also head of the Meridian Bank which opened offices in Zimbabwe recently, was forced out of ZCCM in a move which some say will enable the South African mining giants, Anglo-American and Gencor, to pour in a massive US$2 billion in the expansion of the copper mines.
Sardanis was a close adviser of former President Kenneth Kaunda so he literally kicked out Anglo-American when they were reduced from a majority shareholder to a minority one when the government took over the mines in the late 60s. Sardanis also became chairman of ZCCM from 1969 to 1971.
The recent move is being viewed in some quarters as revenge by Anglo which is looking forward to unfolding prospects in Zambia and once again hopes to play a wider economic role.
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