Venâncio Mondlane promises justice for "Madgermanes"
Venâncio Mondlane, the presidential candidate for the Democratic Alliance Coalition (CAD), has pledged to reactivate the case of the "Madgermanes," Mozambican workers in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) who never received the wages deducted for Mozambique. During a meeting with the Mozambican community in Germany, Mondlane committed to resolving the issue if elected, emphasizing the need for compensation and utilization of the skills of these workers. The case, which has dragged on for over 30 years, remains unresolved despite financial transfers from Germany to Mozambique. At the time, many Mozambican workers in the former GDR had up to 60% of their salaries deducted to be received in Mozambique. However, upon their return, they discovered that the government had not transferred the funds to the rightful owners. This process, which has been ongoing for decades, has yet to reach a satisfactory conclusion.
In a meeting with the Mozambican community residing in Germany, Venâncio Mondlane assured that, if he comes to power, he will reactivate this case. “This is a dossier that I have studied, talked to people about, and shared this pain. I am deeply sympathetic to the Madgermanes process and commit to closing this dossier in favour of Mozambicans. These are Mozambicans who have been humiliated, marginalized, and abandoned by the Mozambican state,” promised the candidate.
According to Venâncio, the state has no choice but to pay the former workers and even compensate them for the damages caused over time. He stressed that the rightful owners of the money were deprived of enjoying the fruits of their labour abroad, a situation that led some to death, incapacity, or disability, something that could have been avoided.
“When we talk about the pride of being Mozambican, it includes these issues. The state has the capacity to close this process. There is money; the state spends so much money on useless and superfluous things,” argued Mondlane.
According to Mondlane, if there were goodwill and willingness, only with the capital gains money, amounting to around 800 million US dollars, that the state earned from selling shares in the Rovuma basin block, it would have resolved this and other problems that trouble the Mozambican people. “At the time, I was in parliament, and when we questioned the 800 million dollars, the government said it had used the amount for contingencies,” he noted.
Mondlane also promised to assess the skills and capabilities of the Madgermanes who are unemployed in Mozambique's streets, so they can serve the country with their experience and knowledge acquired in Germany. “The knowledge of former Mozambican workers in Germany is a national heritage and must be capitalized,” he said.
In an audience of just over 200 people, the Mozambican community in Germany sought to know various aspects of the country and the presidential candidate's ideas for when he arrives at Ponta Vermelha.
It should be noted that “Madgermanes” is the term used to describe Mozambican workers temporarily contracted by the defunct German Democratic Republic. The contracts were negotiated between the governments of the GDR and Mozambique, and more than 30 years later, part of the payments for services rendered remains pending. Germany refutes any financial responsibility, stating that it transferred all deductions to Mozambique.
This promise to reactivate the Madgermanes case by Venâncio Mondlane brings a ray of hope for many Mozambicans still awaiting justice and compensation for their years of work abroad.
