APS mum on future plans

AFRICA Personnel Services (APS) has rubbished claims by a group of former retail workers that it plans to continue in the soon-to-be illegal labour-hire sector under a new name.

APS spokesperson Johannes Kapembe yesterday acknowledged that the labour-hire giant was looking at new ways to remain profitable after March 1, when labour hire will be illegal.
He would not elaborate on the new direction the company plans to take, but said that APS ‘won’t engage in anything unconstitutional’.
Since the dismissal of about 35 APS-registered workers from the Trade Centre in Windhoek last week, talk in the labour-hire sector has shifted towards the recently established Ekango Retail Solutions – under the ownership of current APS top brass.
Ekango started operating in 2007, and has a number of subsidiary companies in various fields, including mining and retail, registered under it.
Employees of this company are alleged to be working at a number of places that formerly employed APS workers.
One of these companies spoken to, whose spokesperson asked not to be named, denied this.
‘We have many options, but for now we’re trying to make 100 per cent sure that what they’re proposing is in accordance with the law,’ the manager said.
Kapembe yesterday defended keeping Ekango’s business practices under wraps, saying it was necessary to keep competing labour-hire companies out of the loop.
‘Ekango won’t disclose its operations publicly for now, because like before, other (former) labour-hire companies may then just decide to jump in and steal (the idea)’, he said.
‘But we are registered and thus, if necessary, the relevant authorities can look into our operations,’ he said.
He bemoaned that detractors were unnecessarily paranoid over the fact that APS management is involved in the new company.
As far as APS itself is concerned, Kapembe said the company is still in operation despite labour-hire being declared illegal, adding that the company plans to get involved in a number of other profitable ventures.
Approached for comment, Deputy Labour Commissioner Tuulikki Shikongo said the Labour Commissioner’s office had noted with interest news of the new company, and has adopted a wait-and-see approach to see what develops. – denver@namibian.com.na