Workers do 12-hour shifts without overtime pay, victimisation of employee representatives and unequal treatment as foreign workers enjoy better conditions.
Malawian workers at Kayelekera Uranium Mine have raised serious concerns over what they describe as systematic exploitation, intimidation and disregard for labour laws, accusing the mine’s management of subjecting local employees to poor working conditions while offering better employment packages to expatriate workers.
In a disturbing account shared with Malawi Cables Online, employees claim that they are working under conditions they consider oppressive, with some describing their experiences as modern-day slavery.
The workers revealed that the Australian-owned mining operation, which they say is overseen by South African management personnel, has created a working environment where local employees have little freedom to challenge management decisions without risking their jobs.
One of the major complaints concerns employees working shifts of up to 12 hours without receiving overtime allowances.
According to the workers, when they raise concerns about the unpaid overtime, the Human Resources department dismisses their complaints, arguing that the arrangement is part of company policy.
Employees, however, question how an internal company policy can override labour laws governing working hours and overtime payments in Malawi.
On top of that , Workers have also accused management of victimising employees who attempt to represent their colleagues or raise concerns about working conditions.
They allege that workers who voluntarily take up representative roles and push for improvements are frequently targeted, with some reportedly losing their contracts when renewal decisions arise.
The employees say this has created an atmosphere of fear, where workers are reluctant to speak out against decisions they consider unfair for fear of being dismissed.
In another serious allegation, workers claim that employees who report labour-related disputes are sometimes placed on basic pay, allegedly losing overtime-related benefits while their complaints remain unresolved.
According to the workers, this arrangement is used to frustrate complainants financially until they abandon their grievances.
They further allege that employees are issued with one-year contracts, and upon expiry, those considered favourable to management may receive continuity notices without meaningful improvements to their employment conditions.
Workers who question the arrangements allegedly risk being placed on management’s watchlist, with minor mistakes potentially resulting in termination.
GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION: WHERE IS THE STATE?
The employees say government intervention in their working conditions has been limited.
They recall that during the MCP administration, former Labour Minister Vitumbiko Mumba engaged the mine’s management over concerns surrounding employment contracts and workers’ rights.
According to the workers, his intervention brought temporary relief, but the situation allegedly deteriorated after he left office.
They also point to District Labour Officer Mr Peck Chawinga, whom they credit with repeatedly attempting to address disputes between workers and management.
However, employees claim that despite these efforts, many of their concerns remain unresolved.
PARAMOUNT CHIEF KYUNGU’S INVOLVEMENT QUESTIONED
The workers further say Paramount Chief Kyungu previously became involved in efforts to address their grievances, but they have yet to see meaningful results.
Some employees now question whether their concerns have received sufficient attention from traditional leadership, given what they describe as continued hardship at the mine.
FOREIGN WORKERS, BETTER CONDITIONS?
Perhaps the most disturbing allegation concerns what employees describe as unequal treatment between Malawian workers and expatriate employees.
The workers claim that some foreign employees receive better salaries, air tickets and other employment benefits, while local workers are allegedly subjected to low wages and limited employment benefits.
They specifically complain about the absence of risk allowances, housing allowances and regular medical check-ups, despite working in a uranium mining environment that raises important occupational health and safety considerations.
They question why Malawians working in their own country should receive inferior employment conditions compared with employees recruited from other countries.
The Kayelekera workers are now appealing to the Ministry of Labour, the relevant regulatory authorities and government leadership to urgently investigate their complaints.
They want an independent assessment of working hours, overtime payments, contract-renewal practices, alleged victimisation, wage structures and occupational health and safety standards.
They also want authorities to establish whether local and expatriate employees are being treated fairly under the country’s labour laws.
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