In the Mozambican civil service the working day begins at 07.30 and ends at 15.30.
Taipo made an unannounced visit to the provincial labour directorate at 07.25 on Friday. She waited until 08.00 - but only two workers turned up in this period, a cleaner and the head of the human resources department. Four others were justifiably absent on a mission in Ressano Garcia on the border with South Africa.
There was no sign of the provincial director and the other 21 staff. Cited in Saturday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias", Taipo declared that this was completely unacceptable.
She pointed out that citizens who have problems with their employers turn to the provincial labour inspectorate for assistance - but if they do so early in the morning there is nobody there to receive them.
Furthermore, every day Mozambicans who once worked in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) go to the labour directorates across the country to collect their cheques that are part of the final settlement between the government and these former migrants.
Taipo said that the staff, and particularly the director, should "be responsible for their acts, so as to satisfy the needs of citizens".
So all 22 would now lose a day's wages, although anyone who has a plausible explanation for arriving late may appeal against this.
SOURCE: AIM
