According to a Monday press release from the Labour Ministry, the manager, Claudine Moodley, is accused of racist attitudes and lack of respect towards her Mozambican colleagues.

The behaviour of Moodley was brought to the attention of Labour Minister Helena Taipo, at a meeting she held with the workers of the hotel on 1 August.

The workers issued veiled threats against Moodley, warning Taipo that they would not take responsibility for whatever might happen to the South African, if the authorities did not take action.

They said their patience was at an end because of the "lack of respect and humiliation" they had suffered at Moodley's hands.

The hotel management, in a subsequent meeting with Taipo, confirmed that the workers had complained about Moodley previously.

She had promised to change her behaviour, but had not done so.

With her work visa cancelled, Moodley can no longer work in Mozambique.

Taipo discovered that the hotel had also exceeded the quota of foreign workers it can admit without Labour Ministry authorisation.

The hotel employs 390 workers.

Under the quota system established by the Labour Law, five per cent of them - 19 - can be foreigners without the need for specific authorisation.

But 30 foreigners were found to be working at the hotel.

The extra 11 were suspended.

They can, however, be reinstated if authorisation for their presence is sought and granted.

The Labour Ministry has also ordered the hotel to end immediately other violations of the labour legislation, concerning hygiene and safety at work, the length of probation periods, and excessive working hours, particularly in the kitchens and laundry.

But perhaps the most offensive breach of the legislation was that workers of different nationalities and colours received different benefits and different working conditions.

The general inspector of labour, Joaquim Siuta, cited in Monday's issue of the Maputo daily Noticias, said "we found managers of the same qualifications and performing similar tasks, but treated differently according to their race or skin colour.

"There were separate canteens for workers with the same qualifications and duties, simply because some were of one skin colour and others of another colour.

This is a flagrant violation of our constitution."

Nampa-AIM

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