Namdeb workers strike back

HUNDREDS of Namdeb employees at Oranjemund took to the streets on Saturday, protesting against alleged unfair restructuring as a result of the global economic crisis.

They called for the immediate removal of Namdeb’s General Manager, Mitford Mundell, charging that management had failed to consult the Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) Oranjemund branch about the restructuring affecting close to 600 workers.The workers also demanded that the Head of Mineral Resources and Environment, Bob Burell, and Head of Shared Services, Pat Durant, be given their marching orders with immediate effect.In a statement at the end of January, Group Manager for External Affairs and Corporate Communications Hilifa Mbako said Namdeb is facing one of the toughest years in its history.In December, voluntary retrenchment was offered to all permanent employees of the diamond-mining giant.So far close to 400 workers have applied for the voluntary separation packages, The Namibian has been told.The deadline for applications has been extended from February 16 until March 16, The Namibian has established.Handing over a petition to Namdeb’s Assistant General Manager: Production, Kakia Kakia, Oranjemund MUN branch secretary for Information Polivester Hangula claimed that ‘white foreign workers’, who he referred to as aliens, received preferential treatment at the expense of Namibians in the restructuring irrespective of their skills.Namdeb employs about 2 200 people.Receiving the petition, Kakia pledged that the company management would study the grievances as a matter of urgency and reply to workers as soon as possible.The company was given 48 hours to respond to the workers’ grievances.Hangula alleged that Namibians have become jobless because of ill-timed and wrong decisions, incompetence-driven corruption and self-enrichment by the management that had led to job losses at the company.In his statement at the end of January, Mbako attributed the downsizing to the company’s lower production levels in the face of the global financial crisis and its effect on the sale of luxury goods such as diamonds.Namdeb began cutting production last year and, according to Mbako, had embarked on a number of initiatives to ‘reduce operating costs, maximise cash flow and alleviate the impacts on employees.’Namdeb has also revised its mining plans for 2009 in order to try and meet the changing demand in the market.Namdeb, Namibia’s largest employer apart from Government, is not the only Namibian mining company affected by the global financial crisis. More than 600 workers were laid off by Weatherly Mining Namibia last month, and it is expected that other mines will also be affected by the crisis.luqman@namibian. com.na