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Otavi Council workers in limbo

Otavi Council workers in limbo

ABOUT 50 employees of the Otavi Town Council are set to down tools if they do not receive their February salaries today.

They should have been paid last Wednesday. The Council was unable to form a quorum at meetings called last week to approve the payroll.Three of the councillors were removed by the Otavi Residents’ Association (ORA) two weeks ago.The remaining four councillors have failed to turn up at the same time to reach a decision.The Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Housing says it is not yet satisfied with the procedures used to oust the Mayor, Markus Damaseb, his deputy, Magdalena Noarises, and the Chairperson of the Management Committee, Gerson Gamibeb.Until the Ministry gives its blessing, the recent replacements cannot be sworn in.Municipal employees gave the Council an ultimatum at the beginning of this month that they planned to take industrial action if matters related to the payment of their salaries were not resolved.Already a lack of funds has meant that employees’ contributions to their pension, social security and other insurance policies have been unpaid for at least four months.Town Clerk Joseph Jantze, who is serving his last two weeks in the post, said on Friday that he had informed the Police, Labour Commissioner’s Office and the Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Housing of the impending strike.Employees say the ousted councillors, particularly the Mayor, Markus Damaseb, were aware of their problems.But with the Council now in limbo, their grievances remain unresolved.”We are really upset by this.No one likes to work for a company whose future is uncertain.We want to hear what their plans are and what they have planned for us,” said an employee who declined to be named.Jantze said even though the Ministry had not yet approved the replacement of the councillors, the ousted group could not be expected to continue their duties if they had been told they were unwanted.But he hoped the wage problems could be ironed out this week.He said the Town Council had faced cash-flow problems since a fire gutted its office buildings in May, thus preventing the issuing of bills for services rendered.Jantze said residents appeared reluctant to pay for services for which they had not received a physical account.The council’s monthly wage bill amounts to about N$200 000, but Jantze would not reveal the present status of the town’s bank account.Without a Council, he said, running the affairs of the town was “like orphans, running a house without parents”.In the wake of recent developments, he said, employees had requested Government to intervene in the administration of the town.Some Otavi residents, unhappy with the process followed in booting the three councillors, wrote to The Namibian saying they felt the trio should have been informed of complaints against them in writing and been given the right to respond to the allegations.The Council was unable to form a quorum at meetings called last week to approve the payroll. Three of the councillors were removed by the Otavi Residents’ Association (ORA) two weeks ago. The remaining four councillors have failed to turn up at the same time to reach a decision. The Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Housing says it is not yet satisfied with the procedures used to oust the Mayor, Markus Damaseb, his deputy, Magdalena Noarises, and the Chairperson of the Management Committee, Gerson Gamibeb. Until the Ministry gives its blessing, the recent replacements cannot be sworn in. Municipal employees gave the Council an ultimatum at the beginning of this month that they planned to take industrial action if matters related to the payment of their salaries were not resolved. Already a lack of funds has meant that employees’ contributions to their pension, social security and other insurance policies have been unpaid for at least four months. Town Clerk Joseph Jantze, who is serving his last two weeks in the post, said on Friday that he had informed the Police, Labour Commissioner’s Office and the Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Housing of the impending strike. Employees say the ousted councillors, particularly the Mayor, Markus Damaseb, were aware of their problems. But with the Council now in limbo, their grievances remain unresolved. “We are really upset by this. No one likes to work for a company whose future is uncertain. We want to hear what their plans are and what they have planned for us,” said an employee who declined to be named. Jantze said even though the Ministry had not yet approved the replacement of the councillors, the ousted group could not be expected to continue their duties if they had been told they were unwanted. But he hoped the wage problems could be ironed out this week. He said the Town Council had faced cash-flow problems since a fire gutted its office buildings in May, thus preventing the issuing of bills for services rendered. Jantze said residents appeared reluctant to pay for services for which they had not received a physical account. The council’s monthly wage bill amounts to about N$200 000, but Jantze would not reveal the present status of the town’s bank account. Without a Council, he said, running the affairs of the town was “like orphans, running a house without parents”. In the wake of recent developments, he said, employees had requested Government to intervene in the administration of the town. Some Otavi residents, unhappy with the process followed in booting the three councillors, wrote to The Namibian saying they felt the trio should have been informed of complaints against them in writing and been given the right to respond to the allegations.

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