Shortage of cattle forces Meatco to retrench 32

MEATCO has terminated the services of 32 permanent employees at its abattoirs at Oshakati and Katima Mulilo, due to the decrease in the supply of cattle.

The Meat Corporation said it had been forced to restructure its operations as its facilities in the Northern Communal Areas (NCA) were not operating at full capacity. Meatco is the largest meat processor in Namibia.The company’s CEO, Phillip Stoffberg, said: “We have to work towards the survival of our business in this competitive world and the only way to do that is to take a critical look at the performance of all our business units”.The 32 staff members whose jobs became redundant were informed on Monday, according to Uschi //Hoebes, Meatco’s PRO.She said all staff were informed about the company’s situation last November and that the board only made its final decision on Thursday last week.//Hoebes said redundant employees received packages better than those stipulated by law.Meatco explained that although its Oshakati Abattoir had a capacity of 180 cattle a day, which effectively means that 46 600 cattle can be slaughtered and de-boned in a year, last year only 6 808 cattle were supplied and slaughtered.This figure is a marked decrease from the 1994 figure of 22 927 cattle supplied to the Oshakati Abattoir.Now only 28 permanent staff are left at the Oshakati Abattoir.Figures available for the 2004 slaughter year indicate that although the abattoir will be open for seven months of the year, employees will only be working for 94 days during that time.Meatco’s abattoir in Katima Mulilo has a capacity to slaughter 110 cattle every two days.Although the supply to this facility has shown a steady increase, it has not reached its optimum, Meatco said.The abattoir which now has a permanent staff compliment of 29, will be open for nine months in 2004 during which employees will work for 132 days.Seasonal employees are hired to work at the abattoirs when the number of cattle supplied is more than the permanent staff can handle, //Hoebes said.Meatco is the largest meat processor in Namibia. The company’s CEO, Phillip Stoffberg, said: “We have to work towards the survival of our business in this competitive world and the only way to do that is to take a critical look at the performance of all our business units”. The 32 staff members whose jobs became redundant were informed on Monday, according to Uschi //Hoebes, Meatco’s PRO. She said all staff were informed about the company’s situation last November and that the board only made its final decision on Thursday last week. //Hoebes said redundant employees received packages better than those stipulated by law. Meatco explained that although its Oshakati Abattoir had a capacity of 180 cattle a day, which effectively means that 46 600 cattle can be slaughtered and de-boned in a year, last year only 6 808 cattle were supplied and slaughtered. This figure is a marked decrease from the 1994 figure of 22 927 cattle supplied to the Oshakati Abattoir. Now only 28 permanent staff are left at the Oshakati Abattoir. Figures available for the 2004 slaughter year indicate that although the abattoir will be open for seven months of the year, employees will only be working for 94 days during that time. Meatco’s abattoir in Katima Mulilo has a capacity to slaughter 110 cattle every two days. Although the supply to this facility has shown a steady increase, it has not reached its optimum, Meatco said. The abattoir which now has a permanent staff compliment of 29, will be open for nine months in 2004 during which employees will work for 132 days. Seasonal employees are hired to work at the abattoirs when the number of cattle supplied is more than the permanent staff can handle, //Hoebes said.