Strike threat at Ministry

MINISTRY of Health buildings in Windhoek could be left unguarded today if guards working for Khomas Security press ahead with a strike.

Guards haven’t been paid since the end of last month and the Namibia Transport and Allied Workers Union (Natau) informed the Labour Commissioner yesterday they would stop work today. The employees gave the company until 17h00 yesterday to pay the workers but the company’s owner, Siegfried Katjatenja, said they had no money to pay the workers.”I was at the Ministry’s offices until 15h00 and they did not give me the money.They get their salaries on time but us, who guard their premises, must wait for months,” Katjatenja said.He said the Ministry owes him around N$750 000.According to Likius Vilho, Natau’s regional co-ordinator, the Ministry was paying the company’s legal costs for a case at Rundu and was thus not transferringmoney directly to Khomas Security.However, Katjatenja said the Rundu case involved only 45 security guards who claimed they had not been paid.According to him, the money owed by the Ministry was enough to pay for Rundu and the guards in Windhoek.The employees gave the company until 17h00 yesterday to pay the workers but the company’s owner, Siegfried Katjatenja, said they had no money to pay the workers.”I was at the Ministry’s offices until 15h00 and they did not give me the money.They get their salaries on time but us, who guard their premises, must wait for months,” Katjatenja said.He said the Ministry owes him around N$750 000.According to Likius Vilho, Natau’s regional co-ordinator, the Ministry was paying the company’s legal costs for a case at Rundu and was thus not transferringmoney directly to Khomas Security.However, Katjatenja said the Rundu case involved only 45 security guards who claimed they had not been paid.According to him, the money owed by the Ministry was enough to pay for Rundu and the guards in Windhoek.