Mining, labour woes haunt Malawi: Man gets K15 000 for lost finger

Malawi mining and mineral processing plants are casting a blind eye to workers’ safety; and, thus contravening local and international safety codes on extraction and processing of the country’s natural resources, Nyasa Times has established.

Siyani Lambulira, said he lost his finger and only got K15 000 as compensation.
Showing his cut finger

Visits to several mines and processing plants revealed the severity of the situation a horde of labourers have to go through in the course of their work.

At one chicken feed mineral processing plant in the capital Lilongwe 45 year-old, Siyani Lambulira, said he lost his finger and only got K15 000 as compensation.

The father of six said he now struggles to make ends meet without a job yet the company owners continue reaping huge profits and do not care about worker safety.

Underground mining operations around the world pose similar risks to worker safety and health.

Though different techniques are used to extract base metals, precious metals, non-metallic minerals, diamonds and coal, the hazards do not verily differ.

The deeper the mine, however, the greater the risk in the areas we visited such as Balaka, Blantyre, Phalombe and Mangochi where workers were working under difficult and dangerous environments.

Ministry of Labour publicist, Christina Mkutumula, said the Ministry’s officials frequently check on the safety standards for workers in various companies.

“Ideally, we are supposed to inspect every workplace even twice every year. However, due to financial and mobility challenges, we are unable to achieve this.

“For minor noncompliance we issue an ‘improvement notice’, for serious noncompliance we issue a ‘prohibition notice’ which is equivalent to temporary closure of the company until the noncompliance is addressed,” she said.

But on the ground it’s a different picture.

The situation in the sampled districts is against International Labour Organizations (ILO) code of practice on Safety and health in opencast mines , a written code which reflects the many changes in the industry, its workforce, the roles of the competent authorities, employers, workers and their organizations, and the development of new ILO instruments on occupational safety and health (OSH) which  includes Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995 (No. 176).

The mining owners were also seen to be exposing workers to excess danger which again is against the revised mining code which is based on the principles of the Convention, including risk assessment, addresses issues such as the interaction between large-scale and small-scale artisanal miners and also comprises a section on automated machinery, a development that has great potential to change the work carried out by nearly all workers in opencast mines worldwide.

During the visits, some workers were found literally working under dangerous running machines with no head gear.

Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC) member Robert Mkwezalamba has since condemned the owners for exposing Malawians to excess danger.

Mkwezalamba said the problem is that owners mind profits and not safety of workers.

He said the required protective clothing may include rain gear , head gear, high-visibility jackets and overalls, flash-rated, all-cotton coveralls and clothing with reflective stripes such as those worn by bikers and runners.

Mkwezalamba said hearing protection mine blasting and excessive noise generated by diesel-powered equipment can cause lasting damage to miners’ hearing, among others.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!

Follow us in Twitter
5 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Hora
Hora
5 years ago

The Labour ministry has guidelines for compensation and each body part is allotted a figure minimum for compensation in case of disfigurement during the course of duty,and each body part value depends on the degree of disfigurement, if the figures are outdated calculations are made to match the current and equivalent figures just like the road traffic directorate did with the traffic fines. K15000 for a finger is too little,if the company cannot not afford then it’s time the management understood the importance of assurance/ insurance

Amos
5 years ago

Sopano munalandiratu k15,000, mwadya. Now you come to media. Abambo opepera inu eti. Simumayenera kulandira that litle money. Mukanapita ku labour office or legal aid for advice. I don’t believe that k15,000 was compensation. Am sure anangokupasani kuti mukagula nkhuku ndi ufa.

KALYOTO
KALYOTO
5 years ago

15000 onlY KKKKKKK. FAKE government.

Hora
Hora
5 years ago

It is sad to hear from an official that the government fails to conduct inspection of factories and mines due to lack of funds,our officials when giving reasons for their failures tell it to us thinking that we Malawians don’t think just one question where are these officials during the time of budget preparation,what is the purpose of budgeting? Give us a break.

Bristone Mabichi
Bristone Mabichi
5 years ago

Now that Lambulira has come out to show the evils in these mines, we want to hear what you are doing and again how you will assist the victim to be well compensated. Please publicise the mining guidelines so that we can educate our brothers and sisters working and intending to work in the mines of Malawi. Ministry of Labour and Manpower, please assist us.

Read previous post:
Malawi U-23 register first win in Belgium as Zambia bring 7 pros

Malawi Under 23 football national team on Tuesday registered their first win in one of their seven lined up training...

Close