The workers are to meet at 08h00 this morning to officially start their promised industrial action after the deadline for a response from management and the Ministry of Works and Transport passed with no word from the two bodies.

Workers in Windhoek on Tuesday marched to the TransNamib head office and to the Ministry of Works, to deliver a petition.

In the petition the workers are calling for the removal of the current board of directors and the reinstatement of suspended CEO Titus Haimbili.

Haimbili was put on "special leave" in August, based on allegations against him concerning the corporate governance of the company.

Workers argue that his suspension was politically motivated rather than based on genuine concern for the running of the company.

Namibia Transport and Allied Workers' Union (Natau) leaders were locked in meetings with the company's shop stewards all day yesterday, with union sources saying they were planning further action.

The workers on Tuesday gave the company and the Ministry until the end of the business day to reply to their demands, but by time of going to print yesterday, there had been no response.

The union sent a communication out to all TransNamib offices to start the national strike by 12h00 yesterday, but after lunch yesterday many TransNamib employees were still seen doing their jobs.

Union sources said last night that many workers appeared not to have received the communication to down tools, but that the meeting scheduled for this morning would rectify this situation.

The Windhoek railway station was one of the operations affected by the strike, with a sign posted at the entrance of the station declaring: "Passengers please note: Due to industrial action no service will be offered until further notice".

Passengers were refunded for tickets they had bought, workers sitting outside the station said.

Trains travelling to Keetmanshoop, Otjiwarongo and Walvis Bay were set to remain stationary last night.

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