270 EMPLOYERS PUNISHED

OVER 270 defaulting employers have been prosecuted since April 2017 and that these prosecutions have been conducted in Lusaka, Kitwe, Ndola, Chipata, Kasama, Kafue, Mkushi, Mazabuka and Mongu, Workers Compensation Fund Control Board (WCFCB) head of communication and customer services Maybin Nkholomba has said.

Mr Nkholomba said 278 employers were prosecuted and that the prosecutions will move to Livingstone, Chingola, Solwezi, and Kabwe among other districts.

He also disclosed that the current debt stock accumulated from defaulting employers stands at K124, 722,675.67

The WCFCB is a social security scheme constituted under the Workers Compensation Act No. 10 of 1999 of the Laws of Zambia, which employers in the public and private sector, except the State, make payments referred to as assessments. Failure to pay assessments results in prosecution with serious penalties,” he said.

Mr Nkholomba said currently in Eastern Province, a water utility fitm has been penalised by the Chipata Magistrate Court for failing to pay statutory assessments to the Board contrary the section 138(1) and (4) as read with section 151 of the Workers Compensation Act No 10 of 1999 of the Laws of Zambia.

Mr Nkholomba said particulars of the offence are that on 1st April, 2016 to October, 2017 in Chipata being a registered employer allocated with an account number failed to pay assessments in the sum of K266, 758.

“According to the court judgement, the company will liquidate the sum owed in instalments of K50, 000. 00 per month starting with December, 2017, January 2018, March 2018 and April 2018,” Mr Nkholomba said.