State owned telecommunications company Zamtel has started a process of cutting up to 140 jobs which will see a number of key staff thrown on the streets.
The affected employees have already started receiving their letters of termination of employment from the Human Resources Department while the Finance Department has already worked out a redundancy package.
Company sources revealed that the firm is looking at reducing its total headcount from around 570 employees to 430 which is around 17% of its establishment in order to make the company efficient and reduce running costs.
The sources further indicated that last year, a decision was made to outsource some of the company’s key units such as the Technical Department and Call Centre which has seen the reduction in the head count.
Some of the affected workers who opted to remain unidentified at this stage said the manner in which the redundancy programme has been handled is not transparent, unfair and riddled with corruption.
“The whole process has been mishandled because we are not being told the criteria being used to fire people. It’s like the people in management just wakes up one day and include some names on the list, letters are drafted and you are called to pick it up, that’s it!” one of the affected workers narrated.
She added, “We were called to attend some training programme at the Training Centre in Roma on Monday only to be given the letters and told to leave the organization. I think there could have been a more humane way of sacking people than this especially that this is January and the economy is not in good shape.”
Efforts to reach Zamtel Managing Director Sydney Mupeta for a comment proved futile by the time of publishing the story but company Head of Corporate Affairs Reuben Kamanga promised to issue a statement later.
Did we tell you that Mupeta is using too much money to erect his ego like a PF minister? Many people think Sydney Mupeta is the Minister of Telecommunication.
Uko mwanya bamakaka in 2021 vote wisely otherwise muzayamba kufya bana ka.
Part and parcel of organisational streamlining to ensure an excellent service and avoid wasteful spending. Nothing sinister. Kz
The irony in your statement though. PF knows how to cut spending? Lol
Cut spending by firing people that make a different to the public yet Lungu is busy flying all over, buys himself a pimped out private jet, you KZ should not talk of cut spending because you are no idea of how that’s done since you spend most of your time looting or harassing innocent citizens. Justice stinks sir.
Dununa reverse, we always said it you can have a ka dull drunk to run a country, this is not a chicken from chawama, the Moron did admit he has no vision, he only has visions of him drinking with no plan, wasted years indeed….. To many dull people in PFoools party of thieves
What type of qualifications does kaizar Zulu have for him to comment on this if it was the opposition saying that they will say you are rejoicing over the suffering of the people but see him what he is saying how can you say wasteful spending when those people have families to feed instead of creating more jobs you are proud of cutting jobs kaizar you are a disappointment to the country.
I would like a situation where even Sydney Mupeta gets the kick in the butt.
So competition will bite and bite and bite and bite until laying off workers doesn’t seem like a way to improving revenue.
Kikikikikikikikiikikiiijiikiikiiii
Some jobs are not for kids.
The presidency is not for h² either.
In this instance you don’t need lenses to tell that Zamtel ceo is a toddler for that job.
Lelo ni lelo, Dununa yabwela!
Muzadya gaga!!
Dununa reverse Party is gaining momentum going backwards, be wary once it gets to a barrier.
They fire you at the blink of an eye…..vote wisely bane.
Please start with the minister’s relatives and girlfriends. We advised you for years you have to cost cut and Sydney belongs in the server room. This is what this govt should have been doing in 2016, ZESCO is another with too much waste and deadwood
How did we get here should i ask? Debt and corruption….
Way to go. Next Should be Useless the ZESCO
In order to survive in today’s competitive market, you just have to promote efficiency in your organisation. If cutting down labour and outsourcing some services proves efficient, why not, go for it Mr Mupeta and make Zamtel profitable!
Some Zambians, you wonder whether they listen to themselves in addition to having extremely short memories. We have seen how mismanaged ZESCO is especially with its bloated staff and almost everyone agrees it needs restructuring. Restructuring will mean shedding off non essential labour and /or outsourcing some services (the very route Zamtel is taking), so that ZESCO starts making its money rather than coming to the public for money in increased tarrifs.
Lead the way Zamtel maybe, just maybe ZESCO will follow
Negative.
A different md can have a different approach to revitalizing this beleaguered Zamtel. Folding Zamtel to a level of one man commando can not do. A person running a company like a national Telecommunications company must have the necessary and enough balls to grow the company not to fold it. Zamtel md and IDC are have killled this thing. Forget not that on this podium we were told that Zamtel got some huge loan. The nigga told us that he would transform it to a software company. S.u.c.k the nigga and float shares on LuSE imwe pilizi. I wanna buy some shares.
How many people are using ZAMTEL mobile? Compare with MTN and AIRTEL mobliles. Nothing is moving at ZAMTEL. Their talk time scratch cards are terrible. By the time you finish cratching, all digits are gone and you can’t see anything
The Technical staff being laid off can form a company from which ZAMTEL can outsource its services.This will be more beneficial to both former employees and the Company itself.
Remember every bad situation creates a business opportunity for somebody else.
Let’s hope those 140 laid off do not constitute 50% South Westerner’s while previously they only constututed 10% of original 570 workforce!
this is not the best way to cut down on cost. we’re not being helped in anyway. the government should be creating jobs. why should we have degree holders in the street.
Zambians always winning…a job is not forever!!! any moment you can’t be fired and replaced. MOVE ON…it happens everywhere on this planet..COMPANY GOAL IS PROFIT not to make u feel special….cut them jobs!!!