Workers’ Compensation prosecutes 278 Employers
By Derrick Sinjela
Workers’ Compensation Fund Control Board (WCFCB) – Head Communications and Customer Services Maybin M Nkholomba says the public entity has prosecuted 278 defaulting employers since April 2017.
Mr. Nkholomba explained that prosecutions had been conducted in Lusaka, Kitwe, Ndola, Chipata, Kasama, Kafue, Mkushi, Mufulira, Mazabuka and Mongu, while the next prosecution phase will move to Livingstone, Chingola, Solwezi, Kabwe among other districts.
In Media Statement circulated from Ndola, Copperbelt Province by WCFCB Communcations Officer Gethsemane Luwabelwa Mwizabi, Nkholomba lamented that the current debt stock owed to the Workers Compensation Fund Control Board stands at K124, 722, 675.67.
“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 assessment results in prosecution with serious penalties,” warned a stern Nkholomba .
Currently, Nkholomba says the Eastern and Water and Sewerage Company Limited has been penalized by a Chipata Magistrate Court for failing to pay statutory assessments to WCFCB contrary to Section 138 (1) and (4) as read with section 151 of the Workers’ Compensation Act No 10 of 1999 of the Laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence are that on 1st April, 2016 to October, 2017 at Chipata in Eastern Province being a registered employer allocated with account number 954081 failed to pay assessments in the sum of K266, 758. 45 plus 10% penalty of K26, 675.84 total being K293, 434, 29 Workers’ Compensation Fund Control Board in respect of the eligible employees.
According the Court judgment, the company will liquidate the sum owed in installments of K50, 000. 00 per month starting with December, 2017, January 2018, March 2018 and April 2018. The balance of K43, 434. 29 will be paid before the month end of May 2018.
