THE controversial Secretary General of the Namibia Farmworkers Union (Nafwu), Alfred Angula, seems to have made a dramatic about-turn after his relentless threats to “forcefully” occupy commercial farms.
Yesterday, he denied that his union ever threatened to occupy or take any farm by force, suggesting that “those stories are concocted by journalists and their foreign agents.” “The media has [a] tendency to misconstrue or propagate their agenda and therefore misinform the public.They must stop this nonsense,” he charged at a press conference yesterday.Angula became incensed when journalists reminded him about his previous statements and Nafwu’s plan to occupy some farms last year, which was only halted after intervention by Government.”This is all rubbish and utter nonsense you are talking, can you stop that.No one was ordered not to do anything,” said the unionist in one of the bitter exchanges with a journalist.Speaking in a more conciliatory tone, the usually belligerent Angula declared that his union believes in collective bargaining and peaceful negotiation of issues “but would not be deterred if the workers’ needs are not fulfilled.”The Nafwu leader hailed the agreement the Union entered into with owner of Farm Okozongominja at the weekend, and urged other farm owners to follow the same example.”There were some elements who wished to disrupt the agreement reached and who attempted to instigate some elders not to accept the said agreement,” he stated.The last-minute agreement, which averted a possible occupation of the property, dissatisfied some Nafwu members who accused their leaders of selling them out.Angula’s conciliatory gesture signalled a major shift from his usually confrontational approach.Government has gone on record several times as saying that it would not tolerate any illegal occupation of farms, and The Namibian was unable to establish whether Angula’s surprise about-turn was the result of pressure from some quarters.The Namibian has, however, learned that the now aborted plans to “take” some farms including Okozongominja, and the fact that the announcement was made from the Swapo office, had embarrassed government leaders.The Republican Party (RP) called for an urgent solution to the land issue that is acceptable to all Namibians, stressing that commercial farmers were under siege due to Nafwu’s “uncontrolled, erratic and unacceptable behaviour.””Government cannot afford to drag its feet any longer …the RP has urged Government at more than one occasion to come up with a transparent land reform plan which will leave no uncertainties and no room for terror-like action by unionists and misguided, landless, or just demanding, ignorant individuals,” charged RP Secretary General Carola Engelbrecht.”The media has [a] tendency to misconstrue or propagate their agenda and therefore misinform the public.They must stop this nonsense,” he charged at a press conference yesterday.Angula became incensed when journalists reminded him about his previous statements and Nafwu’s plan to occupy some farms last year, which was only halted after intervention by Government.”This is all rubbish and utter nonsense you are talking, can you stop that.No one was ordered not to do anything,” said the unionist in one of the bitter exchanges with a journalist.Speaking in a more conciliatory tone, the usually belligerent Angula declared that his union believes in collective bargaining and peaceful negotiation of issues “but would not be deterred if the workers’ needs are not fulfilled.”The Nafwu leader hailed the agreement the Union entered into with owner of Farm Okozongominja at the weekend, and urged other farm owners to follow the same example.”There were some elements who wished to disrupt the agreement reached and who attempted to instigate some elders not to accept the said agreement,” he stated.The last-minute agreement, which averted a possible occupation of the property, dissatisfied some Nafwu members who accused their leaders of selling them out.Angula’s conciliatory gesture signalled a major shift from his usually confrontational approach.Government has gone on record several times as saying that it would not tolerate any illegal occupation of farms, and The Namibian was unable to establish whether Angula’s surprise about-turn was the result of pressure from some quarters.The Namibian has, however, learned that the now aborted plans to “take” some farms including Okozongominja, and the fact that the announcement was made from the Swapo office, had embarrassed government leaders.The Republican Party (RP) called for an urgent solution to the land issue that is acceptable to all Namibians, stressing that commercial farmers were under siege due to Nafwu’s “uncontrolled, erratic and unacceptable behaviour.””Government cannot afford to drag its feet any longer …the RP has urged Government at more than one occasion to come up with a transparent land reform plan which will leave no uncertainties and no room for terror-like action by unionists and misguided, landless, or just demanding, ignorant individuals,” charged RP Secretary General Carola Engelbrecht.
