Unions And SPYL Must Know Their Boundaries

IF organisations and people assigned to certain posts do their own work, rather than interfere in areas in which they do not belong, it would be more beneficial to the country’s overall progress.

There have been a number of fairly public examples recently of groups outside Government trying to dictate what should or should not be done, and as a result failing within their own areas of competence. The example of the Mineworkers’ Union of Namibia (MUN) and their handling of labour issues at Lev Leviev Diamonds (LLD) recently is one of the most pertinent.Labour Commissioner Bro Mathew Shinguadja accused the unions of effectively hampering a solution to the conflict between the company and 250 workers.The 250 have since lost their jobs due primarily to bad union advice and lack of leadership in this issue.The Labour Commissioner told President Hifikepunye Pohamba that because of the workers’ illegal actions at the instigation of union leadership, there could have been no other outcome than the loss of their jobs.Meanwhile, the workers’ protest outside the factory continues, and the heart of the matter is that, had the dispute been properly handled by MUN from the start, things would not have reached this impasse.Even the Permanent Secretary of Labour has been reported as saying that official/s of the union had not only lied during negotiations but also backtracked on agreements reached in the talks and misinformed workers, which finally forced the company’s hand in dismissing them.Unions must do what they are set up to do.There have been many examples in the past of unions meddling in politics and in Government, rather than focusing on representing workers’ interests to the best of their ability.But this finger can be pointed at those other than the MUN in this case.The Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) has already achieved a level of notoriety, not for representing youth interests, but for its meddling in the Government and political arena.They have already set a trend in regard to their prolifically outrageous statements on various matters not necessarily within their ambit.They have, for example, taken an inordinate amount of interest in a Government decision to transfer an official of the Tender Board to another post, and in so doing, they are directly interfering in the business of Government.Since the Government is a Swapo Government in any case, this points also to increased dissension within the ranks of the ruling party, which does need to put a lid on the interference from its branches.In another matter involving the SPYL, the current Special Assistant to Deputy Prime Minister Libertina Amathila is also at odds with his superior and Government because he has been criticised for spending excessive time on SPYL activities at the expense of the job that pays his way.He is alleged to be neglecting the tasks to which he is assigned in her office, thereby also hampering the work of the Deputy Prime Minister.The SPYL official in question claims the Deputy Prime Minister is simply taking issue with him because of his political involvement rather than non-performance of his duties in her Office.Point is that clear divisions need to exist, and again it is incumbent on the leadership of the ruling party to show the way and also to lead by example.Perhaps a controversial case like that of the country’s Attorney General, also Minister of Justice and Secretary General of the Swapo Party, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, should prompt the ruling party into action.For while the Swapo Congress clearly stipulated that the post of Secretary General should be a permanent one, the incumbent has continued with her Government duties as well as those to the Party, and again, a SPYL official in a similar position might argue that he is entitled to do the same.Effective governance at all levels is hampered by actions such as those described above.Unions, even the SPYL, are quick to vociferously take up causes that they do not, or should not represent, rather than concentrate on their respective mandates, which are clear.If a line is not drawn, the Swapo Government will have further anarchy in its ranks.The example of the Mineworkers’ Union of Namibia (MUN) and their handling of labour issues at Lev Leviev Diamonds (LLD) recently is one of the most pertinent.Labour Commissioner Bro Mathew Shinguadja accused the unions of effectively hampering a solution to the conflict between the company and 250 workers.The 250 have since lost their jobs due primarily to bad union advice and lack of leadership in this issue.The Labour Commissioner told President Hifikepunye Pohamba that because of the workers’ illegal actions at the instigation of union leadership, there could have been no other outcome than the loss of their jobs.Meanwhile, the workers’ protest outside the factory continues, and the heart of the matter is that, had the dispute been properly handled by MUN from the start, things would not have reached this impasse.Even the Permanent Secretary of Labour has been reported as saying that official/s of the union had not only lied during negotiations but also backtracked on agreements reached in the talks and misinformed workers, which finally forced the company’s hand in dismissing them.Unions must do what they are set up to do.There have been many examples in the past of unions meddling in politics and in Government, rather than focusing on representing workers’ interests to the best of their ability.But this finger can be pointed at those other than the MUN in this case.The Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) has already achieved a level of notoriety, not for representing youth interests, but for its meddling in the Government and political arena.They have already set a trend in regard to their prolifically outrageous statements on various matters not necessarily within their ambit.They have, for example, taken an inordinate amount of interest in a Government decision to transfer an official of the Tender Board to another post, and in so doing, they are directly interfering in the business of Government.Since the Government is a Swapo Government in any case, this points also to increased dissension within the ranks of the ruling party, which does need to put a lid on the interference from its branches.In another matter involving the SPYL, the current Special Assistant to Deputy Prime Minister Libertina Amathila is also at odds with his superior and Government because he has been criticised for spending excessive time on SPYL activities at the expense of the job that pays his way.He is alleged to be neglecting the tasks to which he is assigned in her office, thereby also hampering the work of the Deputy Prime Minister.The SPYL official in question claims the Deputy Prime Minister is simply taking issue with him because of his political involvement rather than non-performance of his duties in her Office.Point is that clear divisions need to exist, and again it is incumbent on the leadership of the ruling party to show the way and also to lead by example.Perhaps a controversial case like that of the country’s Attorney General, also Minister of Justice and Secretary General of the Swapo Party, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, should prompt the ruling party into action.For while the Swapo Congress clearly stipulated that the post of Secretary General should be a permanent one, the incumbent has continued with her Government duties as well as those to the Party, and again, a SPYL official in a similar position might argue that he is entitled to do the same.Effective governance at all levels is hampered by actions such as those described above.Unions, even the SPYL, are quick to vociferously take up causes that they do not, or should not represent, rather than concentrate on their respective mandates, which are clear.If a line is not drawn, the Swapo Government will have further anarchy in its ranks.