De Klerk sues union leader

WOMEN’S Action for Development (WAD) Executive Director Veronica de Klerk is suing National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) Secretary General Evilastus Kaaronda for defamation of character following remarks he made last month.

Kaaronda described De Klerk as “inhumane”. He claimed she had “too much of a fake agenda” and needed to be called to order.De Klerk said she was suing Kaaronda in his personal capacity after he refused to retract the statements.Kaaronda alleged last month that De Klerk had a “cold and cruel” leadership style after De Klerk allegedly gave a warning letter to an employee who failed to turn up for work.Letha Handura said her child was in a hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and she had asked her husband to contact WAD to say she was unable to make a trip to Luederitz, where the organisation had planned a field day.In the meantime, according to De Klerk, WAD had tried repeatedly and without success to get hold of Handura.She told The Namibian that Handura had been given an assignment to compile a 10-page script as director of ceremonies two weeks before the baby fell ill.The field day was planned for November 29 but Handura left work six days earlier because of the sick child.Kaaronda provided the media with a copy of the letter that De Klerk wrote to Handura when she returned to work.In it, De Klerk expressed sympathy about Handura’s baby but said she expected the greatest respect and responsibility towards WAD even in cases of illness and death.”Given the gravity of your aforementioned irresponsible behaviour I have to submit this warning letter to you, hoping that you will realise that even though you are confronted with death or illness in the future, the world does not come to a standstill,” she wrote.She said Handura needed to show respect and responsibility towards WAD and her colleagues if she wanted the same treatment.She said the NUNW was not fair in linking the warning letter to the sick child and called on Kaaronda to apologise.When he failed to do so for a month, De Klerk instructed her lawyers to go ahead with suing him for defamation of character.”I have nothing against the NUNW.I am a friend of NUNW.I have been developing workers for years.They are for workers, like us.I am fighting one person,” De Klerk told The Namibian yesterday.She said Kaaronda had been misinforming the nation without doing proper homework.She has the backing of her board, chaired by Reverend Nangula Kathindi.Others on the board are Anne Gebhardt, legal advisor Dr Burkhard Dobiey, Sara Elago, Theunis Keulder, Frances Ferreira, Maggy Nghatanga, Heike Schulz and Colin Usurua.He claimed she had “too much of a fake agenda” and needed to be called to order.De Klerk said she was suing Kaaronda in his personal capacity after he refused to retract the statements.Kaaronda alleged last month that De Klerk had a “cold and cruel” leadership style after De Klerk allegedly gave a warning letter to an employee who failed to turn up for work.Letha Handura said her child was in a hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and she had asked her husband to contact WAD to say she was unable to make a trip to Luederitz, where the organisation had planned a field day.In the meantime, according to De Klerk, WAD had tried repeatedly and without success to get hold of Handura.She told The Namibian that Handura had been given an assignment to compile a 10-page script as director of ceremonies two weeks before the baby fell ill.The field day was planned for November 29 but Handura left work six days earlier because of the sick child.Kaaronda provided the media with a copy of the letter that De Klerk wrote to Handura when she returned to work.In it, De Klerk expressed sympathy about Handura’s baby but said she expected the greatest respect and responsibility towards WAD even in cases of illness and death.”Given the gravity of your aforementioned irresponsible behaviour I have to submit this warning letter to you, hoping that you will realise that even though you are confronted with death or illness in the future, the world does not come to a standstill,” she wrote.She said Handura needed to show respect and responsibility towards WAD and her colleagues if she wanted the same treatment.She said the NUNW was not fair in linking the warning letter to the sick child and called on Kaaronda to apologise.When he failed to do so for a month, De Klerk instructed her lawyers to go ahead with suing him for defamation of character.”I have nothing against the NUNW.I am a friend of NUNW.I have been developing workers for years.They are for workers, like us.I am fighting one person,” De Klerk told The Namibian yesterday.She said Kaaronda had been misinforming the nation without doing proper homework.She has the backing of her board, chaired by Reverend Nangula Kathindi.Others on the board are Anne Gebhardt, legal advisor Dr Burkhard Dobiey, Sara Elago, Theunis Keulder, Frances Ferreira, Maggy Nghatanga, Heike Schulz and Colin Usurua.