Tsumeb hotel ‘fires staff, withholds pay’

The Oxford hotel at Tsumeb in the Oshikoto region has allegedly fired four of its employees without compensation for the days they have worked.

The former workers claim they were fired for petty reasons.

The hotel is owned by Nestor ‘Six’ Paulus.

Sofia Valombola, who used to make bookings for the facility, says she was fired for allegedly failing to inform her employer of a short-term customer.

She says she had worked at the hotel for two weeks at the time.

Valombola says the workers earned N$1 300 a month, and got paid on the 7th of each month.

“He [Paulus] fired me because I didn’t inform him there was a customer at the hotel, because usually when a customer is staying for a few hours we inform him through a message, but I didn’t.

He fired me, despite getting the money.

I asked for my salary, but he offered me my job back without a full month’s salary,” she says.

“When I refused, he told me not to contact him any more.”

Anastasia Mutenge, who processed job attachment claims at the hotel, says she was fired for going to the hospital.

She claims the hotel’s employees work from Monday to Friday from 07h00 to 19h00 with no break, adding that Paulus does not allow them to go to the hospital or attend to family matters.

Other staff members say asking to go to the hospital or do grocery shopping would get them fired.

Mutenge says she was paid N$500 instead of N$600 per month.

Messages seen by The Namibian between four employees and the hotel owner show that the workers have enquired about their money with no response.

“I went to Onandjokwe hospital in the Oshana region and stayed for two days.

He fired me. I asked for my money, but said I was ‘no one’ to ask him. I threatened to report him, upon which he sent me N$500 and chased me out of the hotel,” Mutenge says.

A former employee claims to have had a similar experience.

“I messaged him, saying I got a job attachment in Windhoek, but he did not respond to me.

At the end of the month, I texted him again, asking for the three weeks and five days’ payment for working at his hotel, but he claimed he didn’t know me,” the former employee says.

“I threatened to report him to the police, and said I would be wasting my time.

He offered me N$350, but I worked for N$1 000,” they say.

Paulus this week denied the allegations, saying he only fired Valombola for stealing from him.

He said he did not fire any other worker, nor does he owe them payment, adding they were unpaid interns.
“I’m even looking for people now. They must tell the truth.

They cannot just call the newspapers to frame me. Valombola stole from me, she even wrote a message admitting that she stole,” he says.

Paulus says Valombola stole N$250 from him. However, Valombola’s ex colleagues, and those still working at the hotel, deny this.

Her apology message, which The Namibian has seen, reads: “I am sorry for hurting you yesterday, and want your forgiveness.”
Valombola says she apologised to be paid, but did not steal.

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