Mozambique: Union wants to shut down “dishonest” Security companies

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Mozambique: Union wants to shut down “dishonest” Security companies

12:16 CAT | 22 Apr 2016

Folha de Maputo (File photo)

The National Union of Private Security Workers (SINTESP) has urged the Mozambican Interior Ministry to shut down “dishonest” private security companies.

The SINTESP general secretary, Boaventura Sibindy, cited in Thursday’s issue of the Maputo daily “Noticias”, said that the dishonest behaviour of some licensed security companies brings discredit on the whole sector, including those companies that perform their duties in a professional manner.

“Many licensed companies aren’t honest”, accused Sibindy. “They don’t possess their own premises. They pay very low wages to their workers, and even then they don’t manage to pay on time. They don’t own the equipment needed for this activity, and they don’t pay their taxes”.

Such outfits were “phantom companies”, said Sibindy, Some of them went for six months or more without paying wages, and the workers then resorted to SINTESP to solve their problems.

“The union wanted to intercede on behalf of these workers, but has been unable to do so because these companies don’t have fixed addresses and we don’t know how to contact them”, he added.

On paper, there are over 110 private security companies in Mozambique, all licensed by the Ministry of the Interior, and they employ about 54,000 workers. But Sibindy dismissed these numbers as fictitious, because many of the companies have given up the security business, or for one reason or another have ceased to exist.

As for the challenges facing the union, Sibindy says SINTESP wants to “humanise” all the security companies.

“We are going to fight for improved working conditions”, he said. “We want specific regulations for the private security companies. We want the decree on licensing these companies to be thoroughly overhauled. We are in favour of regular inspection of the companies”.

Source: AIM