Over 60 former workers of DES Export Zambia have accused the Ministry of Labour of not enforcing a ruling that required the company to pay their outstanding arrears and terminal benefits seven months’ later of making the case.
The disgruntled workers, who worked for the company until their contracts were terminated, said they have been and up with “months of acrimony and pain” since seeking justice at the Ministry of Labour’s Headquarters at the Government Complex.
On July 22, 2025, Labour Commissioner Givens Muntengwa ruled in favour of the workers and ordered that DES Export Zambia Limited pay their dues and make immediate payments in the provisions of Section 66 of the Employment Code Act No. 3 of 2019. The company subsequently appealed the ruling, which the workers called “unreasonable and was intended only to waste time”.
Despite the company reportedly admitting to fault, the appeal was taken to Labour Minister Brenda Tambatamba and the matter was concluded the next month, nearly a month later, on August 27, 2025. The workers argue that this set them in more hardship.
“We expected the Honourable Minister to show compassion with our plight and expedite her decision,” the former employees said in a statement. “The company did not dispute the Commissioner’s
The Honourable Minister should display some empathy and move the process forward,” the former employees said in a joint statement. “In a situation like this, the company did not submit an appeal against the Commissioner’s decision, and the appeal was allowed to drag on.”
Eventually, when the Minister did uphold the ruling of the Commissioner, it was a relief for the workers, but it did not last long. In their opinion, the ruling had not specified a date for the payment or a process to ensure it complied. After pressure, the Ministry finally specified September 12, 2025, to comply with the ruling.
However, on the day when the workers were supposed to receive their money, they were told that DES Export Zambia Limited had intended to appeal to the High Court.
“To our shock, the company has not filed an appeal and has not paid us our money,” the workers said. “The Ministry continues to tell us to ‘komfwaneni ‘ (agree amongst yourselves ), we and out families are starving.”
The group has appealed to the Republican President Hakainde Hichilema to intervene, claiming the Ministry of Labour is not fulfilling its duty to ascertain justice.
“This is injustice and failure of duty by the Minister and her ministry,” said the workers. “We are jobless, desperate and dying silently while DES Export Zambia is not being punished.”
The workers have attached all relevant correspondence and rulings from the Ministry of Labour to support their appeal.