RCC lays off 81 workers

EIGHTY-ONE contract workers employed by the Roads Contractor Company (RCC) on the Aus-Luederitz railway rehabilitation project face the chop after their contracts have not been renewed since June, a group of them told The Namibian yesterday.

The 81 workers, who are mostly technical and temporary staff hired at the start of the about N$40 million project in 2002, all received letters informing them of the non-renewal of their contracts at the end of last month. The seven-year project, which appears to have been largely outsourced to other sub-contractors, is to rebuild the railway line between Namibia’s oldest port and Aus, after severe wind erosion and rust rendered the original line inoperable by the late 1990s.”We tried to speak to the management in Windhoek about this, and (General Manager Human Resources) Brian Nalisa promised to come and see us last week, but so far nothing has happened,” said one of their spokesmen.All declined to be identified for fear of being victimised, something they claimed had already started happening when they questioned the RCC management about alleged cronyism and incompetent management practices.Initially, the temporary contracts were issued for periods of six months, but upon renewal these were shortened to periods of three to two months, especially for the semi-skilled workers.”We have been working with­out contracts since June now,” their chief spokesman said.At the same, contracts for expatriate staff were being renewed without any delay.”We have tried raising this with the company, on several occasions, but it is like talking to a brick wall,” one of the workers said.So far, all the workers have refused to accept the termination letters.Efforts to get their union representatives to act on their behalf have also failed to produce results.The workers were pointed in their criticism of Nafau President David Namulenge, who is also the Second Vice President of NUNW, whom they flat-out accuse of a conflict of interests.”He is always on the side of the RCC,” alleged one.Their information from inside the company also indicated that the RCC’s share in the Aus-Luederitz rehabilitation project amounted to little more than a “rent-a-contract’ arrangement whereby South African companies reportedly performed most of the work at exorbitant fees.Some of the work, such as laying the rails on the prepared railway sleepers, could easily have been done much cheaper by local people, the workers said.”The RCC will only get about N$2 million out of the N$40 million they have spent so far,” one said, citing “inside sources.”Nalisa apparently left his office by 16h00 yesterday, and staff said they did not expect him to return.Chairman Otto Iipinge is visiting the United Kingdom for all of September, according to his office.* John Grobler is a freelance journalist; 081 240 1587The seven-year project, which appears to have been largely outsourced to other sub-contractors, is to rebuild the railway line between Namibia’s oldest port and Aus, after severe wind erosion and rust rendered the original line inoperable by the late 1990s.”We tried to speak to the management in Windhoek about this, and (General Manager Human Resources) Brian Nalisa promised to come and see us last week, but so far nothing has happened,” said one of their spokesmen.All declined to be identified for fear of being victimised, something they claimed had already started happening when they questioned the RCC management about alleged cronyism and incompetent management practices.Initially, the temporary contracts were issued for periods of six months, but upon renewal these were shortened to periods of three to two months, especially for the semi-skilled workers.”We have been working with­out contracts since June now,” their chief spokesman said.At the same, contracts for expatriate staff were being renewed without any delay.”We have tried raising this with the company, on several occasions, but it is like talking to a brick wall,” one of the workers said.So far, all the workers have refused to accept the termination letters.Efforts to get their union representatives to act on their behalf have also failed to produce results.The workers were pointed in their criticism of Nafau President David Namulenge, who is also the Second Vice President of NUNW, whom they flat-out accuse of a conflict of interests.”He is always on the side of the RCC,” alleged one.Their information from inside the company also indicated that the RCC’s share in the Aus-Luederitz rehabilitation project amounted to little more than a “rent-a-contract’ arrangement whereby South African companies reportedly performed most of the work at exorbitant fees.Some of the work, such as laying the rails on the prepared railway sleepers, could easily have been done much cheaper by local people, the workers said.”The RCC will only get about N$2 million out of the N$40 million they have spent so far,” one said, citing “inside sources.”Nalisa apparently left his office by 16h00 yesterday, and staff said they did not expect him to return.Chairman Otto Iipinge is visiting the United Kingdom for all of September, according to his office.* John Grobler is a freelance journalist; 081 240 1587