Labour Deputy Minister Simon Kachimba has warned Shoprite Zambia to desist from engaging workers on casual bases on the pretext of studying the country’s labour laws.
Mr. Kachimba said government will not allow the company to continue engaging workers as casuals and ripping from them while alleging to be waiting for guidance from the ministry.
He said government is concerned that the chain store has not implemented the agreement that was made despite assurance to do so.
Mr. Kachimba said this when he meet Shoprite Zambia management to follow up on issues which were agreed upon between the two parties. The issues agreed upon among others last year include casualisation and contracts.
He has since directed officials from his ministry and Shoprite management to quickly start working on the labour agreement and terms of contracts for workers.
“I call upon you (Shoprite management) to take the worker’s contract to my office on Monday and immediately start solving this problem of fixed term contract and casualisation. We need seriousness in the way we handle our issues because this will also avoid protests” he said.
He also asked the management to table the company’s Zambianisation report that was agreed upon to incorporate Zambians in senior management positions.
The Minister also toured Shoprite Manda Hill branch were some employees expressed dissatisfaction with their salaries and other conditions of service.
Ms. Tubesebo Musialela an Account Clerk said workers were made to work for long hours but were receiving little pay.
She said the chain store has ignored government advice to improve the conditions of service for workers despite repeated calls.
And Shoprite Zambia Acting General Manager, Charles Bota said the company has not resolved the issues of casualisation and fixed term contracts because it wanted guidance from the ministry.
He however said that Shoprite has clear laws on the treatment of workers such has discouraging the use of abusive language and any mistreatment of workers.
Mr. Bota who could not respond to many of the minister’s concerns however promised that the company would write to him once the General Manager comes from vacation.
Shoprite Zambia has over 1,000 casual workers countrywide.
shoprite gets praise on the JSE for its expansion northwards,but it is at the expense of workers rights. These guys wouldnt be in Zambia if they werent make profit. Govt should wakeup.
Hope this time you guys do something. The problem has been there since shoprite came in Zambia. I do not even know how the workers keep up with low salaries.Hope this works now-thanks Mr Kachimba. if you are not telling lies
you are poor countries and so forever you will suffer,thats why am no longer zambian bane. nizee. buga lifestyle. so apa naya mukumona ka gelo, ka musungu bane. naya mukulya
Thanks- we are proud to be zambians-always zambian and will forever be zambian. God bless you#3
In the first place,we dont need these international companies who come here to sell groceries.fi grocery tafyakwata profit then theìr operation costs are too high.elyo nachi kala umwine alefwaya na dividend
numbala 4 fyove ifyo mune! eh dont you crave muga women? lets not hide bane. lets be open. its the best thing that has ever happened. i am still zambian bane but deep down i am not.
lt relax bane, why moderating??
The problem has never been Shoprite. The real problem is the fact that the***** we have in State House has put the minimum wage at K260,000/-.
The question is what is the law about such acts? What is Mushosha going to do about it? Is he going to sue Shoprite on behalf of the workers? Is he going to ask Shoprite to pack and go? His at the moment is futile exercise. He should work on the labor laws in Zambia. It is not only shoprite doing this. Check what happened with the mines, Zamtel and all other privatized companies. In a liberalized economy, and were there are no strong laws to protect the workers, they become victims of profit making machinery. If this Mushosha guy wants to effect employment laws, take it to parliament, not the employers. Sadly, even the President is awol on such matters.
This is not a new issue. Stop complaining ba Minister and just deal with the problem and we will see the results for ourselves.
I am really sorry Hon. Mushosha, I meant Kachimba. May Mrs. Mushosha’s Soul Rest In Peace.
Kachimba has been visiting supermarkets and other companies, warning about casualisation. But what has really changed?
Typical of MMD, merely rhetoric, looking at all situations as mere politiking. Only an insane person would go blaming shoprite when it’s there Government that have put the minimum wage at K260,000/- ($52/- per month). He probably wants to get a bribe from Shoprite, since its the order of the day starting from there President. Let’s all register in numbers to vote.
#8&13 MUKABE 2011, let me first begin with a giggle, he he he he he, am so saddaned that your mother didn’t abort you at foetus stage.he would have saved this world from the waste of oxygen. sata will never enter state house,the civilised man who is there is doing a spendid job,we dont want thuggery.as for low wages,encourage your children to aim higher at school.unqualified labour always attracts peanuts the world over.thats why in developed countries a lobourer does up to three ordinary jobs to mak ends meet.so you i*****t we are still ruling
The minister did a good job, but why cant he do the same to mining industries that have a lot of casual and contract labour?
Election time and government wants to pretend that they are looking into the problem. Please give us a break. How long has shoprite being in Zambia? Is it the first time we are hearing about this issue?
H.E MC SATA was this afternoon welcomed by millions if nt billions of people in CHOMA-southern province. VIVA PF………………..
H.E MC SATA was this afternoon welcomed by millions if nt billions of people in CHOMA-southern province. VIVA PF………………
this is pathetic, in a poor economy like Zambia why would u want to have casual employment when 80% of the population is unemployed. its obvious that companies like shoprite are exploiting the weak labour laws that are currently in Zambia. When workers are on casual basis its easy to lay them off compared to permanent.
it’s been the same since they arrived, I’m sure the Hon Minister will receive his brown envelope just like the previous Hon Ministers received theirs, and the situation will continue as before
@#19 Zambian labour laws are not weak, there is a minimum wage, it is because we worship investors (so all they have to do is threaten to pull out, and suddenly they don’t have to obey the law)
Firstly some people shouldn`t be allowed to comment. Shoprite has been avoiding to pay benefits to its employees since it came to Zambia. This has always been an issue and NOW is when it is being discussed after almost 10 years of ripping off our nation economy. You know what govt should actually hide some of these details, they should be released after they do their job people actually benefit.