Online Reporter
Trust Freddy
Herald Correspondent
TOURISM industry employers are under fire for allegedly using internships as a source of cheap labour, with reports indicating 70 percent of their staff are interns who receive little to no pay.
This comes barely a few months after Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi cautioned hotel, lodge and tourism facility owners against abusing students on internship.
This revelation was made in a parliamentary session when chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services, Mr Caston Matewu, highlighted the issue as a matter of national interest, describing the practice as a form of ‘modern-day slavery’.
“Mr Speaker, Sir, my point of national interest arises from the modern-day slavery happening in the private sector,” he said.
“You find that, especially in the tourism and hospitality industry, most institutions employ at least 70 percent interns who are not paid. Some are given less than US$50 but have to work 12-hour shifts. Most institutions do this to save costs.”
Mr Matewu proposed that Parliament develop policies and solutions to curb this scourge in the private sector.
Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda, suggested that the matter be presented as a motion to prompt a response from the responsible Ministry.
Bongani Ndlovu