Two seriously injured in Aussenkehr work unrest

MORE than 400 workers at the Cape Orchard vineyard at Aussenkehr attacked two farm managers last week.

Production Manager Gerrie Roux and a certain Mr Van Heerden could not return to work this week because of the serious injuries they sustained. A reliable source told The Namibian that Roux could lose his eyesight because of severe eye injuries.Van Heerden had to undergo surgery in Cape Town for a badly fractured hand.Most of the labourers have returned to work, but the source said the situation at the farm was tense and administration offices were closed because personnel were too afraid to go to work.A letter in possession of The Namibian, signed by the company’s management, has requested the Karas Regional Police Commander to provide Police protection to payroll officials today, which is payday on the farm.”If we do not get proper Police assistance, we will not be able to pay our employees and fear that this will cause more unhappiness and problems,” the letter states.A charge of public violence has been laid against close to 430 workers.The Namibian has also learnt that the owner of the company, a certain Mr De Kock living in South Africa, visited Namibia on Tuesday to discuss last week’s unrest with President Hifi­kepunye Pohamba.According to a spokesperson for the workers, Petrus Muyamba, the attack was triggered when the management refused to meet the Aussenkehr branch of the Namibia Farm Workers Union (Nafwu) to discuss allegations of unfair labour practices at the farm.Muyamba told The Namibian that the workers had demanded the immediate removal of Roux, claiming that he used abusive language towards black workers.The workers also claim that the management denied them the right to join the union.Approached for comment, the owner of Aussenkehr farm, Dusan Vasiljevic, condemned the incident and urged workers and employers to strive towards sound industrial relations.Vasiljevic, who leases parts of the land to various companies, said incidents of this kind could damage the image of the farm and would not be tolerated.Vasiljevic bought the Aussenkehr farm shortly after Independence because of its potential to cultivate grapes and today 1 300 hectares of vineyards produce grapes for the export market.Attempts to get comment from Cape Orchard proved futile.A reliable source told The Namibian that Roux could lose his eyesight because of severe eye injuries.Van Heerden had to undergo surgery in Cape Town for a badly fractured hand.Most of the labourers have returned to work, but the source said the situation at the farm was tense and administration offices were closed because personnel were too afraid to go to work.A letter in possession of The Namibian, signed by the company’s management, has requested the Karas Regional Police Commander to provide Police protection to payroll officials today, which is payday on the farm.”If we do not get proper Police assistance, we will not be able to pay our employees and fear that this will cause more unhappiness and problems,” the letter states.A charge of public violence has been laid against close to 430 workers. The Namibian has also learnt that the owner of the company, a certain Mr De Kock living in South Africa, visited Namibia on Tuesday to discuss last week’s unrest with President Hifi­kepunye Pohamba.According to a spokesperson for the workers, Petrus Muyamba, the attack was triggered when the management refused to meet the Aussenkehr branch of the Namibia Farm Workers Union (Nafwu) to discuss allegations of unfair labour practices at the farm.Muyamba told The Namibian that the workers had demanded the immediate removal of Roux, claiming that he used abusive language towards black workers.The workers also claim that the management denied them the right to join the union.Approached for comment, the owner of Aussenkehr farm, Dusan Vasiljevic, condemned the incident and urged workers and employers to strive towards sound industrial relations.Vasiljevic, who leases parts of the land to various companies, said incidents of this kind could damage the image of the farm and would not be tolerated.Vasiljevic bought the Aussenkehr farm shortly after Independence because of its potential to cultivate grapes and today 1 300 hectares of vineyards produce grapes for the export market.Attempts to get comment from Cape Orchard proved futile.