Pick n Pay accused of negligence

HUMAN rights lawyer Norman Tjombe has taken up the case of a Pick n Pay Namibia employee who was allegedly assaulted by a couple inside the shop on Sunday.

Pick n Pay Namibia is a subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group.

The incident took place at the Pick n Pay MegaCentre outlet in Kleine Kuppe, Windhoek.

CCTV footage of the incident shows the employee being assaulted by Windhoek resident Samuel Skikale after she allegedly failed to fill in a form correctly.

The employee, Hansletta Noarises (33), sustained injuries to her head and body and opened a case against her assailants on Monday.

Tjombe accused the retail giant of trying to cover up the assault after the CCTV footage was leaked to the media on Tuesday.

“The company refused to provide the video footage to the police when requested to do so, and was more concerned about how the footage that circulated on social media and on The Namibian’s website was leaked than about the health of Hansletta,” Tjombe said.

Tjombe yesterday said he would help the victim to institute civil action against the assailants.

“We understand they are a husband-and-wife team,” he said.

Tjombe said Noarises is receiving medical treatment and underwent a CT scan because her head was banged against a wall and floor more than once.

Tjombe said Noarises is experiencing severe headaches.

“We will communicate with her employer regarding the lapses in providing protection to her, other staff members and other customers, including the veiled threats that were made that she would be subjected to a disciplinary hearing and be dismissed,” Tjombe said.

The lawyer said the security guard who witnessed the attack and took no action to protect Noarises is enlisted by Pick n Pay, and the retailer must therefore take full responsibility for the actions or omissions of the security guard.

He said employers are obliged to provide a safe working environment for their employees, and what happened on that day was a blatant violation of Noarises’ safety and security rights.

Graeme Mouton, the retailer’s managing director, confirmed the incident yesterday after banning the couple from all Pick n Pay stores.

He said the retailer has initiated the process of providing the affected employee with trauma councelling, as well as all other employees who witnessed the attack.

There has been no mention of compensation for the employee’s injuries suffered.

Mouton said they are investigating the incident internally and cooperating with the police.

Samuel Skikale was granted bail of N$3 000 after he appeared in Windhoek’s Magistrate Court this morning on a charge of assault.