Two Companies in Lusaka have been shut down for keeping their workers hostage since the first COVID 19 cases were recorded in the country.
And the Ministry of Labour has summoned the owners Chueng Zhu Company and Louise Investment Limited for violating labour laws.
This is when Inspectors from the Ministry of Labour conducted an operation last evening after a tip-off from the public that some companies were NOT allowing their workers to go home.
And Assistant Labour Commissioner Inspector Lupili Sichone said the two companies were putting the workers at risk of contracting COVID 19 as they were staying in unventilated rooms.
Ms. Sichone has since directed that all the workers be released and that the companies should continue paying them their full salaries while at home.
She warned companies that are in the habit of violating labour laws that they will be visited, and appropriate measures taken against them.
Ms. Sichone said the ministry of Labour will not allow companies to be exploiting their workers, especially during the COVID 19 period.
Good work. A government that looks out for its citizens is a caring one. Now let us impose stiff punishment on these companies
Your Chinese friends are breaking laws right left n centre and your always handle them with kids gloves , why iwe KZ.
Under what law do you impose paying workers while at home? While I commend MoL for rescuing the workers it also need to make sure its actions are within the law else we will be a Banana republic. Lawlessness begets lawlessness
Whose conduct has given Chinese impudence?
Have the hostage takers been arrested? Is hostage taking legal ?
Awe. Pf must just go.
This happening now at Luanshya mine. The employees have not been home for over 2 week. Please go and rescue these people from this slavery. Chinese kaya
Keeping someone hostage is not violating labour laws. This is criminal period, please dont sugar coat this madness
This government is just the most useless when it comes to meting out “real justice” against Chinese companies that violate Zambian laws…Go do the same in China and we’ll see if your company will last another day…your a.s.s will be on the next flight back to Zambia!
Guys,
Please face the facts…THAT’S THE MODUS OPERANDI IN CHINA!!!
You invited them, hence, you MUST face the consequence.
Poverty in the nation will embrace such barbaric practices.
There’s more to unravel and reveal the truth.
All Chinese companies practice their cultural methods of locking up workers. Even in Chine they have workers from rural China kept in barracks type of accommodation and paid migre salaries. In Zambia its rampant and many Zambians haven’t got choice but to enslave themselves to Chinese companies due to lack of employment in Zambia by the PF regime.
A company breaks the law and its being summoned to the ministry for what? You break the law sent the case to court…what failed govt.
Foolish leadership allowing its people to be enslaved in their own country. Chinese will strip Zambia butt naked before they take off to their nxt target.
Govt at work ,next we are coming for you opposition party president who is keeping unpaid workers at your farms this govt can’t allow you to enslave our people. Boma ni Boma
And Professor Saasa wants the employment act to be trashed in favour of investors!
Pay them on leave? LOL. You think Chinese will pay anyone for doing nothing? You need to understand certain cultures.
They will soon close that company down. These workers who are excitedly expecting salaries at home will soon be jobless.
But they are here to exploit. Once opportunity allows, they will start a new company under a new jet lee. But since they can’t trust the current employees anymore, they will simply hire new job seekers to enslave.
Excellent job for retrieving these people. Can these Chinese bosses please be arrested. It’s illegal to hold someone hostage against their will. Foreign nationals must respect the laws of the land while working or conducting business in foreign countries.
Also, madam Sichone, can your office follow up to ensure that these individuals have been paid their salaries otherwise they will just be told that nchito yasila especially that your Ministry has paid them a visit!!
WHICH COMPANIES? Why is this administration so poor in sharing basic information? This article like the rest was written by a retarded lazy person twelve hours ago with little analysis or updates. Poor reporting in Zambia as always.
N0THING WILL HAPPEN!!
Ba Joy©e N0nd3, same as what transpired in the past @ H0rs3shoe Restaurant, was spitting feathers, fire & brimstone, went for a meeting with H0rs3shoe management, emerged after 40minutes, smiling from ear to ear with a brown envelope tucked tightly under her armpit & CASE WAS CLOSED!
That Citizens is the P.F way of dealing with serious National issues.
Meantime #P.F.MUSTGO
Very funny indeed! You close a company then you want that company to continue paying its former workers who are not working!? Where does the money come from to pay anyone when there is no production and no sales? Should the company continue paying ZRA taxes as well?
This is a criminal matter, but alas, with the situation obtaining in most impoverished households, people would rather stay locked at work for a week than stay home and have nothing to eat.
We need above all, to educate foreign investors on our about laws and carry out regular unscheduled visits to mostly Chinese companies to ensure compliance.
I don’t think these employees did not know it was illegal, but they have no other choice.
Extremely incompetent and fooolish leadership. The Chinese are enslaving Zambians in their own country, because they see that you’re a corrupt weak leadership that won’t seriously hold them accountable. What these slimy criminal Chinese did was nothing short of kidnapping and false imprisonment. They need to be prosecuted, imprisoned and then deported. That would serve as a deterrent to other would be Chinese lawbreakers. I wouldn’t be surprised if more Chinese companies in Zambia are doing this same thing…having poor Zambian workers locked up, and you don’t even know about it. The government is supposed to keep an eye on foreigners, making sure they’re not taking advantage of poor native workers. If a foreigner is discovered mistreating Zambian workers, they should face severe…
… consequences, fined, prosecuted, jailed and deported. That’s the only way foreigners will respect your administration. Also you need to set a mandatory minimum wage. You all need to go next year. You’re just way too incompetent, including clueless Lungu himself.
Comment:Clean lime Zambia company limited and Changzhou Zambia resources in copperbelt masaiti district just next to neelkanth lime in ndola has done the same workers have been there for over a month