Africa-Press – Namibia. MEMBERS of the Namibian Revolutionary Transport Union (Naretu) yesterday marched to the depots of Snyman Transport and Coleman Transport at Brakwater, demanding that the two companies allow their employees to join the union and get better wages.
Naretu secretary general Petersen Kambinda yesterday said: “We went to the Snyman depot and they did not want employees to be part of the movement, but they let them go after we demanded it.”
Kambinda accused the logistics company of paying them unacceptable wages.
“These people have families to feed. They are violating people’s constitutional rights by denying them to be part of the unions that represent them,” he said.
Kambinda said Snyman Transport’s finance manager, WG Treurnicht, received their petition, but declined to comment.
Salatiel Nghinyangela, whose father is a truck driver at another transport company, said workers are happy there is a union representing them.
“My father has been working for four years as a truck driver, but their working conditions are unfair. We do not want to destroy companies, we just want what is fair for the employees,” he said.
Coleman Transport director Ronnie Coleman yesterday said the workers’ allegations are false, as every worker in his company receives a full salary with no deductions.
“I borrowed N$40 million from the bank to pay the workers to feed their children. None of them have ever been paid a 50% salary,” he said.
“Every worker received an 11% salary increment this year. I told them we will do it half-year, and another half-year when the economy starts getting better,” Coleman said.
He said the company suffered losses during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Everyone was struggling. I have no problem with any unions, nor anybody. We must understand each other and we must respect each other. That’s the only way we can build Namibia,” he said.
Coleman said he invests in the country, adding that he has helped develop the town of Rosh Pinah by building a police station, a service station, and shops.
In the petition handed over to him, employees demanded that the company’s management recognise their union.
They gave the management seven days to do so, and to start deducting 1% of their wages for union membership.
Petrus Kuutondokwa, a driver of Coleman Transport, said he is paid N$6 500 per month although he drives long distances, carrying stock worth millions of dollars.
“This money cannot help me with anything. Imagine you just got paid yesterday, and today the money is already finished. We are not happy. He must accept our union,” he said.
Another truck driver, Andreas Shihepo, said the demonstration was helpful and is an indication that they are fighting for their rights.
He said they spend a lot of time on the road, but take peanuts home.
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