The Minister of Labor, Vitumbiko Mumba, has ordered the closure of Field 17A at Makande Tea Estates in Thyolo due to violations of employment and workers’ rights. Mumba emphasized that the government cannot allow tea estates to undermine Malawi’s reputation in the international market, revealing that the country had previously been involved in a case with the International Labor Organization (ILO) concerning sexual harassment on estates.
Mumba’s decision followed an inspection of the estate, where he pointed out ongoing issues related to safety standards, inaccurate scale weighing, and hygiene practices, all of which have contributed to making Malawian tea less competitive globally.
The government has issued a seven-day prohibition order, demanding that the estate address these concerns.
In response, Joe Palani, the Group Superintendent of Tea at Makande Tea Estates, assured that the company would take immediate steps to rectify the issues and bring the estate into full compliance with regulations.