Zimbabwe legislator says private sector has turned internship into modern day slavery

Marondera Central legislator Caston Matewu has accused the private sector of turning internship, commonly known as attachment, into modern day slavery.

He told Parliament yesterday that some institutions, especially those in the tourism and hospitality sector, are now relying on interns who constitute 70% of their employees.

These interns are not paid or if they are paid they are given as little as $50 a month but they have to work 12 hours a day.

He said that this meant that those who were qualified could not get jobs while interns had been turned into slaves because they were working without being paid under the guise that they were under training while the companies were making profit.

Matewu urged Parliament to come up with policies and solutions to ensure that this scourge was curbed.

Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda asked Matewu to come up with a motion to address the issue.

Full contribution:

HON. MATEWU: Mr. Speaker Sir, my point of national interest arises from the new day modern slavery which is happening in the private sector. You find that especially in tourism hospitality and tourism industry, most of the institutions are employing at least 70% interns who are not paid. Some who are given less than USD50 but have to work 12-hour shifts and most of these institutions are doing this to save costs. Now that has two impacts. Number one, it means that those in such industries and qualified do not have jobs and that brings our unemployment rate high. Number two, it is also slavery to those who are being made to work on the basis that we are training them but actually they are covering for profits of these institutions. I think this august House must come up with policies and solutions to ensure that we curb this scourge that is going on in the private sector. I thank you.

THE HON. SPEAKER: Why do you not come up with a motion to address the issue in detail so that it covers the responsible ministry to respond accordingly?

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