President on the labour warpath

LABOUR officials and employers in the Omaheke Region got an equal share of criticism from President Hifikepunye Pohamba over the working conditions of employees, especially farm labourers both on commercial and on communal land.

‘I thought this was history, but when I visited Leonardville on Thursday I received reports of two incidences, where farm labourers were not treated well and I was very disappointed and also because it was also brought under my attention that those (officials) assigned to assist with the situation are not doing their job,’ the President said, deviating from his prepared speech at the opening of the regional offices of the Labour Ministry.’Government wants to see productivity and that all work together, employers and workers, and for those who work to be treated as human beings and not as animals,’ Pohamba said.’Solutions in (labour) disputes should be solved in a brotherly and sisterly fashion, but what I hear is that those in Government do not reach out and visit farms to check on working relations between farmers and their employees,’ he continued.’I ask Labour Minister Immanuel Ngatjizeko who is here today, to do something about that. If they (labour inspectors) do not have transport, they cannot help in labour disputes,’ Pohamba said. According to statistics provided to him, there were about 600 farms in Omaheke, the Head of State added, and if each farmer employed just five workers, this would come to about 3 000 workers. ‘Employers and workers cannot do without each other to achieve productivity, and fair treatment should be the order of the day – workers are not slaves and should be treated in a humane way…we don’t want farm workers dumped on the road, whereas employees must show dedication to work and discipline,’ Pohamba urged.’I appeal to employers and workers to have harmonious work relations, and the Labour Ministry also has the responsibility to monitor these relations. But that Ministry cannot do it alone; we have the Regional Governor and the staff of the Regional Council and the Regional Councils, who could also monitor labour relations in their constituencies. We also have the different political parties and they could also bring it to the attention of authorities, if they hear of people who need assistance.’Pohamba said the Labour Act was very clear on the matter of child labour, which was prohibited in Namibia for children under the age of16. However, reports he had received during his visit to the Omaheke Region indicated that (mainly San) children were used for labour on communal land. ‘We have Government officials and Regional Councillors in Omaheke, don’t they see this exploitation of children? Or are they just turning a blind eye? The children are brought from other communities to work on farms and as a result cannot attend school, while the children of the farm owners are taken to school, this is not fair,’ Pohamba said.Regional Councillors were appointed by Government to look into such injustices, while traditional leaders also had their role to play.Pohamba said that he hoped the new regional office of the Labour Ministry at Gobabis would help alleviate unemployment and that its officials would work hard to ensure sound labour relations in the region.