Chinese owned firm fires complaining workers
By OLIVER SAMBOKO
SEVERAL workers at the Chinese-owned Zamfresh Fish Company have been fired for complaining about poor conditions of service to Livestock and Fisheries Minister Makoza Chikote when he visited the company at the weekend.
Zamfresh is one of the big fish farms operating fish cages on Lake Kariba in Siavonga.
According to the affected workers, the company told them to go back home and no reason has been given.
“After the visit by the minister, our Chinese bosses were upset that we complained to him about the poor conditions and the inhuman treatment we are subjected to. Right now they have asked us not report for work,” explained one of the workers in an interview.
Recently, the local Authority shut down operations at Zamfresh Fish Farm for a week due to poor sanitation and non-adherence of Covid-19 health guidelines.
The Farm was shut down following an operation conducted by a combined team of officers from the district after a tip from the concerned members of the public.
Among other concerns by workers is poor sanitation, poor management of waste, non-functional male and female toilets, overcrowding in dormitories and poor ventilation.
Others complaints relate to lack of personal protective clothing for employees including those operating from the lake and failure to provide health and safety policy.
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