Africa-Press – Namibia. A CHINESE-OWNED company engaged in a road construction project in southern Namibia has obtained a court interdict against the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) and a member of the organisation, Michael Amushelelo, to stop an alleged unlawful strike.
In an interdict granted by judge Harald Geier in the Windhoek Labour Court, the NEFF, Amushelelo and nearly 400 employees of the company China Henan International Cooperation Group (Chico) were ordered to stop a strike and picketing that started on 5 May.
The striking workers, numbering 371 people, according to a list filed at the court, were also ordered to resume their duties in terms of their employment contracts until the dispute which the company has lodged with the Office of the Labour Commissioner has been decided.
The order was granted on Friday without opposition from the NEFF and Amushelelo.
The organisation and Amushelelo initially gave notice that they would be opposing the company’s application for an interdict, but on Friday the court was informed that they had withdrawn that opposition.
In an affidavit filed at the court on Tuesday last week, Chico manager Cui Yunke said the company is carrying out rehabilitation work on the road between Keetmanshoop and Mariental.
The company has a recognition agreement with the Metal and Allied Namibian Workers Union (Manwu), according to Cui.
Cui said employees of the company, represented by Manwu, handed a petition listing grievances to the company’s project manager on 12 April.
In the petition, employees complained about their working conditions, safety, relations between managers, supervisors and workers involved in the project, the quality of the road they have been working on, and asked for a pay increase that would enable them to meet their basic living expenses.
Chico responded to the petition a week later, Cui said, adding that on 5 May, Chico employees without warning refused to work and launched a strike, which according to the company was illegal.
During a meeting with the striking workers five days later, the company became aware that, despite its recognition agreement with Manwu and the fact that the NEFF is not a trade union, the NEFF and Amushelelo were representing its workers and leading the strike, said Cui.
He also said Chico had been losing about N$367 000 each day the strike was continuing, and would have to pay penalties at a rate of N$20 000 per day if the project it is working on is not completed on time.
The interdict the company applied for, Cui said, “would preserve the rule of law and prevent parties from simply deciding to ignore the provisions of the law”.
Chico was represented by lawyers Lauren Williams and Tinashe Chibwana.
The NEFF and Amushelelo were represented by Kadhila Amoomo.
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