RCC Responds To Layoffs

THIS letter is intended to register our profound disappointment with the publishing of the article, ‘RCC lays off 81 workers’, in The Namibian on Friday, 22 September 2006.

The above-mentioned article is factually flawed and, in our opinion, heavily biased against the Roads Contractor Company Limited as a responsible entity, which is founded on principles of good corporate governance. The article seems to be indicative of an ulterior agenda, or at the very least, a complete lack of journalistic principles and ethics.We are of the opinion that RCC has been extremely forthcoming with press enquiries in the past.We therefore found the article, which was clearly based on malicious rumours and murky half-truths propagated by a few undisciplined employees, to be intended to unnecessarily sensationalise this particular issue.We would like to put this issue into perspective.The contracts for the group of temporary employees mentioned in the article were not renewed, as opposed to having been terminated.This was done in line with an executive decision to ensure optimum utilisation and redeployment of our permanent employees whenever road maintenance projects have come to an end.It is a fact that traditional RCC projects, especially in terms of road maintenance, are diminishing and our company has an obligation to ensure optimal utilisation of our permanent employees, who were taken over from the Government at the inception of RCC.It is therefore, only logical that we will endeavour to relocate our permanent employees upon the completion of relevant projects to sites where projects are ongoing, so as to provide them with employment and simultaneously keep the company’s overheads within acceptable limits.We also wish to inform you that the General Manager: Human Resources and Corporate Affairs, Brian Nalisa, has postponed the intended visit to the Aus-Luederitz railway project in consultation with the union and to give effect to the resolution of certain underlying administrative issues, specifically with regard to sourcing additional projects to which the workers in question could be seconded.Moreover, the reporter’s statement that Mr Nalisa had left his office by 16:00 on the preceding day seems to confirm our perception of an ulterior agenda against our company.We believe that even a cursory investigation by the reporter in question would have concluded that Mr Nalisa was, in fact, not in office on the day in question, as he was attending a conference in the city.I sincerely trust that this letter has succeeded in providing you with the correct and factual information concerning the status of the temporary employees at the Aus-Luederitz project and in the spirit of co-operation, we would appreciate your setting the record straight.Please be advised that you are welcome to contact Gernot de Klerk, Manager: Corporate Affairs & Communications for official comments on RCC matters.Please accept our assurances of building on the relationship which we enjoy with The Namibian newspaper.N M Katjiuongua Acting Chief Executive Roads Contractor CompanyThe article seems to be indicative of an ulterior agenda, or at the very least, a complete lack of journalistic principles and ethics.We are of the opinion that RCC has been extremely forthcoming with press enquiries in the past.We therefore found the article, which was clearly based on malicious rumours and murky half-truths propagated by a few undisciplined employees, to be intended to unnecessarily sensationalise this particular issue.We would like to put this issue into perspective.The contracts for the group of temporary employees mentioned in the article were not renewed, as opposed to having been terminated.This was done in line with an executive decision to ensure optimum utilisation and redeployment of our permanent employees whenever road maintenance projects have come to an end.It is a fact that traditional RCC projects, especially in terms of road maintenance, are diminishing and our company has an obligation to ensure optimal utilisation of our permanent employees, who were taken over from the Government at the inception of RCC.It is therefore, only logical that we will endeavour to relocate our permanent employees upon the completion of relevant projects to sites where projects are ongoing, so as to provide them with employment and simultaneously keep the company’s overheads within acceptable limits.We also wish to inform you that the General Manager: Human Resources and Corporate Affairs, Brian Nalisa, has postponed the intended visit to the Aus-Luederitz railway project in consultation with the union and to give effect to the resolution of certain underlying administrative issues, specifically with regard to sourcing additional projects to which the workers in question could be seconded.Moreover, the reporter’s statement that Mr Nalisa had left his office by 16:00 on the preceding day seems to confirm our perception of an ulterior agenda against our company.We believe that even a cursory investigation by the reporter in question would have concluded that Mr Nalisa was, in fact, not in office on the day in question, as he was attending a conference in the city.I sincerely trust that this letter has succeeded in providing you with the correct and factual information concerning the status of the temporary employees at the Aus-Luederitz project and in the spirit of co-operation, we would appreciate your setting the record straight.Please be advised that you are welcome to contact Gernot de Klerk, Manager: Corporate Affairs & Communications for official comments on RCC matters.Please accept our assurances of building on the relationship which we enjoy with The Namibian newspaper.N M Katjiuongua Acting Chief Executive Roads Contractor Company