No food shortages – Namib Mills

NAMIB Mills has played down claims that its employees’ ongoing strike is leading to food shortages.

Namib Mills workers began their third week of strikes on Monday, raising concerns over the availability of staple goods produced by the company.

“We are able to ensure demand is met. We are prioritising certain product lines, particularly the major trademarks that we know are in demand,” Namib Mills financial manager ST Ackermann says.

Namib Mills owns several popular brands, including Top Score maize meal, Bakpro flour and bread, and Pasta Polana.

According to Ackermann, the company is focusing on ensuring that they are able to fulfil their commitments to existing clients.

“From a bakery point of view, we have cut back on production of our own bread,” he says.

This is to ensure that the company can focus on honouring contracts for bread and other products. The company is prioritising essential services to ensure that operations can continue, Ackermann says.

“Obviously, there are disruptions, so deliveries might be delayed,” he adds.

In addition to prioritisation, the company is relying on its contingent of workers who are not part of the bargaining unit, as well as those who have returned to work since the industrial action began.

This is despite claims from the Namibian Revolutionary Transport and Manufacturing Union (Naretu), representing striking workers, that the long strike will eventually translate into a national crisis.

“If we don’t find the solution, it will start touching households. Shops are going to run out of food, possibly by the end of this week,” Naretu commander in chief Petersen Kambinda said on Monday.

The strike began on 12 January, after unsuccessful wage negotiations between Naretu and Namib Mills.

The Namibian on Wednesday visited two U-Save stores that sell Namib Mills bread, as well as bakeries that use Bakpro flour. Reporters found no evidence of Namib Mills products being in short supply and were told by U-Save employees that there had been no issues with supply.

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