Aggrieved workers stage sleep-in

A GROUP of labourers have camped outside the offices of the Roads Authority and the Ministry of Works demanding payment for wages they say a former manager at the parastatal owes them.

Works, Transport and Communications Minister Moses Amweelo was yesterday morning forced to readjust his schedule and speak to the nine workers, who have vowed not to leave until the Roads Authority helps them to get the money. Group leader Alweendo Awala claimed the former manager, Adolf van der Merwe, owed him N$73 000 and more than N$110 000 to 33 other workers.The parastatal said it had nothing to do with the workers, who were hired by companies that received tenders from the Roads Authority to clear bush along a number of roads between 2002 and last year.The nine have slept outside the offices since Monday night.Awala said yesterday they would sleep at the offices, which are part of the headquarters of the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication, until the Roads Authority ensured that their wages were paid.The workers refused to accept the parastatal’s explanation that the tenders had been awarded to private firms, which in turn hired labourers to complete the bush clearing.The case of Awala and some 30 others featured at the public hearings of the Presidential Inquiry into the affairs of the Roads Authority and the Road Fund Administration.It emerged that former manager Van der Merwe gave a dozen contracts to his girlfriend, her brother-in-law, her mother and a colleague’s wife.Awala said Van der Merwe recruited him in the Roads Authority offices, and that they had used the parastatal’s vehicle and office at Mariental.This strengthened the workers’ belief that they were employed by the state-owned enterprise.But Johanna ‘Gogga’ Riekert, the girlfriend to whom Van der Merwe awarded several bush-clearing contracts, said yesterday that he had nothing to do with the workers.Riekert said they were all her employees although the workers maintain that Van der Merwe was the only person they dealt with, including the payment of wages.Van der Merwe admitted at the inquiry that he helped set up those of Riekert’s companies that he eventually awarded the contracts to, but denied any wrongdoing.He also admitted that he did not tell anyone his girlfriend had submitted tender applications and that he had awarded the contracts to her companies as well as receiving and signing cheques from the Roads Authority to pay into Riekert’s accounts.He was fired last year in connection with the incidents, but The Namibian understands he is challenging the dismissal.Van der Merwe could not be reached for comment.Riekert said she had not spoken to him in six months.Riekert said yesterday that the workers’ payment had already been settled through the Labour Court and that her companies owed them nothing.Minister Amweelo told the workers there was nothing his Ministry or the Roads Authority could do for them expect to refer them back to the Labour Commissioner.He told them they had never had contracts with the Roads Authority.The workers remained adamant yesterday that they would press the Roads Authority to resolve their case.They got incensed with the parastatal’s Control District Manager, C.A. Theron, for allegedly suggesting that Awala was “running like a dog” from one place to another and that he could not prove the Roads Authority owed him money.Group leader Alweendo Awala claimed the former manager, Adolf van der Merwe, owed him N$73 000 and more than N$110 000 to 33 other workers. The parastatal said it had nothing to do with the workers, who were hired by companies that received tenders from the Roads Authority to clear bush along a number of roads between 2002 and last year. The nine have slept outside the offices since Monday night. Awala said yesterday they would sleep at the offices, which are part of the headquarters of the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication, until the Roads Authority ensured that their wages were paid. The workers refused to accept the parastatal’s explanation that the tenders had been awarded to private firms, which in turn hired labourers to complete the bush clearing. The case of Awala and some 30 others featured at the public hearings of the Presidential Inquiry into the affairs of the Roads Authority and the Road Fund Administration. It emerged that former manager Van der Merwe gave a dozen contracts to his girlfriend, her brother-in-law, her mother and a colleague’s wife. Awala said Van der Merwe recruited him in the Roads Authority offices, and that they had used the parastatal’s vehicle and office at Mariental. This strengthened the workers’ belief that they were employed by the state-owned enterprise. But Johanna ‘Gogga’ Riekert, the girlfriend to whom Van der Merwe awarded several bush-clearing contracts, said yesterday that he had nothing to do with the workers. Riekert said they were all her employees although the workers maintain that Van der Merwe was the only person they dealt with, including the payment of wages. Van der Merwe admitted at the inquiry that he helped set up those of Riekert’s companies that he eventually awarded the contracts to, but denied any wrongdoing. He also admitted that he did not tell anyone his girlfriend had submitted tender applications and that he had awarded the contracts to her companies as well as receiving and signing cheques from the Roads Authority to pay into Riekert’s accounts. He was fired last year in connection with the incidents, but The Namibian understands he is challenging the dismissal. Van der Merwe could not be reached for comment. Riekert said she had not spoken to him in six months. Riekert said yesterday that the workers’ payment had already been settled through the Labour Court and that her companies owed them nothing. Minister Amweelo told the workers there was nothing his Ministry or the Roads Authority could do for them expect to refer them back to the Labour Commissioner. He told them they had never had contracts with the Roads Authority. The workers remained adamant yesterday that they would press the Roads Authority to resolve their case. They got incensed with the parastatal’s Control District Manager, C.A. Theron, for allegedly suggesting that Awala was “running like a dog” from one place to another and that he could not prove the Roads Authority owed him money.