Railway lines, crucial for transporting goods across the country, and to a lesser extent for transporting passengers, have lain idle since Wednesday afternoon.

At a press conference in Windhoek yesterday, union officials said they were still mulling whether or not to allow a train to depart for Grootfontein carrying a consignment of fish for the State Hospital there, which was seen as an emergency.

The unions - the National Transport and Allied Workers' Union (Natau) and the umbrella National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) - argue that the negative consequences the strike has had on TransNamib and the Namibian economy are necessary for those in power to realise how serious workers are about their demands.

"This is why you don't want strikes", NUNW Secretary General Evilastus Kaaronda said yesterday.

The TransNamib workers are demanding the removal of the current board of directors and the reinstatement of suspended CEO Titus Haimbili.

Haimbili was put on "special leave" last month, with the board saying that they were investigating allegations of corruption against him.

Kaaronda yesterday said that Haimbili had still not been informed what he was being accused of.

"It's been more than 20 days since his suspension.

It's unfair and it smacks of arrogance," Kaaronda said.

The unions are scheduled to meet President Hifikepunye Pohamba today.

Kaaronda said the union would not entertain suggestions to compromise on its demands, as the relationship between Haimbili and the board had been damaged beyond repair.

It is estimated that about 1 900 of the total TransNamib workforce of 2 025 have joined the strike.

Kaaronda said yesterday that, should Government and the company continue to "defy" them, the NUNW would call for a national strike of all its members next week.

"The person with the key is [Works and Transport Minister Helmut] Angula.

He is the appointing officer.

The minister has been given enough time.

We gave them five hours (on Tuesday) and we gave them until 12 o'clock yesterday," Kaaronda said.

Attempts to get comment from TransNamib and Minister Angula were unsuccessful yesterday.

Angula was said to be in meetings with various embassies throughout the day.

Staff in the Minister's office suggested the media wait for an official statement by the minister, who "remains aware of the situation".

The TransNamib strike was scheduled to start on Wednesday afternoon, but only got fully underway yesterday morning, after communication problems resulted in some employees reporting for work as usual on Wednesday.

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