The Managing Director of NT Plastics Manufacturing Ltd, Zhouh Young Fei, has been arrested for defying an order from Malawi’s Minister of Labour, Vitumbiko Mumba, to cease operations until critical issues concerning poor working conditions for employees are addressed.
The incident occurred after Minister Mumba conducted a surprise inspection of the company’s torch manufacturing plant in Njewa, Lilongwe, on Friday. This followed reports from local residents that the company had resumed operations without addressing the ministry’s directives.
The company had been ordered to shut down on Thursday due to substandard working conditions, including a lack of proper safety gear, an unsafe work environment, and unhygienic sanitation facilities for employees.
“We received reports yesterday that the company had ignored our closure order and resumed operations. This morning, further complaints from residents led to an unannounced visit, where we found workers on duty despite clear directives to cease all activities until compliance was ensured,” Mumba stated.
Following the inspection, the minister referred Zhouh Young Fei to the Labour Law Commissioner, resulting in his arrest for violating Malawi’s labour regulations.
“As a ministry, we are committed to upholding workers’ rights and ensuring compliance with the country’s labour laws. We have also deployed additional inspectors to monitor other companies under closure orders. Any violations will face strict legal consequences,” Mumba added.
Zhouh Young Fei is currently being held by police for questioning regarding the company’s failure