•  December 2000February 2001 Local News Headlines

Friday, March 2, 2001 - Web posted at 9:10:57 AM GMT

Katima plunged in darkness
CHRISPIN INAMBAO

A CRIPPLING, week-long strike involving 140 municipal employees at Katima Mulilo has plunged scores of houses and businesses into darkness as the strikers refuse to render "essential services."

Many homes and businesses are in the dark and large quantities of beef, fish, poultry, dairy and other perishables have gone to waste because municipal workers are refusing to sell electricity units to people using the pre-paid meter system.

The possible repercussions from the industrial action might be far-reaching as there is already talk that some of those affected by the strike might seek financial compensation through legal channels.

On Monday an emotionally-charged, placard-waving crowd of municipal workers handed a letter to the Katima Mulilo Council in which they aired their grievances."

"It was not our intention to resort to industrial action, but all efforts to solve the problem amicably proved futile

The Council is not prepared to listen to our grievances and the Council has since its autonomy failed to introduce conditions of service for Council employees," stated the strikers.

The Namibian has established that workers earning N$2 000 or less are demanding a wage increase of 15 per cent, while those earning above N$2 000 want an increase of 10 per cent.

Both categories also want a 13th cheque that should be backdated to last year.

The dissatisfied workers claim that the Katima Mulilo Council has failed to agree their conditions of service.

Newly-appointed Katima Mulilo Town Clerk, Agnes Limbo, said: "It [the strike] is really big ...people's food is rotting.

We are afraid the Council is going to be sued.

It is not good for business and even for the image of the town.

We are trying to get investors, but no investor will want to come to Katima."