Maputo — Mozambique's General Inspectorate of Labour (IGT) managed to collect, between January and September this year, about 19.3 million meticais (670,000 US dollars) which companies owed to the National Social Security Institute (INSS).

This is just part of the huge sums owed by companies across the country. It is common practice for companies to deduct social security contributions from their workers' wages, and then fail to channel the money to the INSS.

Trade unions have complained bitterly about these thefts for years, but so far no employers have been jailed.

The successful collection of some money this year is the fruit of efforts by the IGT audit department.

According to a report on IGT activities sent to AIM, much of the money was collected after intervention by the courts, the Attorney-General's Office and the Criminal Investigation Police (PIC).

In addition to the 19.3 million meticais collected, companies have been signing agreements, promising to pay their debt in installments, during a fixed period of time, amounting to 14.3 million meticais. However, of this amount, it was only possible to recover 10 million meticais, including last year's debt.

IGT filed two complaints concerning social security debt with the Attorney General's Office, for sums amounting to 811,000 meticais. Only one of these companies (which owed 534,400 meticais) has yet paid up.