Africa-Press – Namibia. NAMIBIAN Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) economic commissar Michael Amushelelo has threatened to close down the operations of Cheetah Cement by next week.
This comes after Amushelelo and Affirmative Repositioning movement activist Dimbulukeni Nauyoma were reminded in August by judge Christie Liebenberg that in a democratic state like Namibia, individuals should not take the law into their own hands, as that is likely to promote lawlessness.
Liebenberg addressed Nauyoma and Amushelelo in a judgement in which he and judge Dinnah Usiku granted them bail in an amount of N$5 000 each, signalling the end of a period of more than three months that they had been held in custody.
The judges granted Nauyoma (30) and Amushelelo (31) bail on condition that they may not mobilise any unlawful public gathering or involve themselves in one after their release from custody.
Amushelelo claiming the shutting down of Cheetah Cement would not be in violation of his bail conditions, and would not be illegal. Employees of the cement factory at Otjiwarongo embarked on a strike in July after the company’s management failed to agree to workers’ demands in wage negotiations.
“Today we went to show solidarity with the workers of Cheetah Cement,” Amushelelo says.
He says while the factory’s employees have been on strike for over two months without pay, the company has hired African Personnel Services to intervene.
“Next week we will be organising a demonstration to shut down the operations of Cheetah Cement.
“We are giving Kevin Lee [Cheetah Cement’s general manager] this week to accept the offer of the workers if he wishes to avert a shutdown of the cement plant,” Amushelelo says.
Cheetah Cement spokesperson Tabby Moyo says the issue is a labour matter between the workers represented by the union and the factory’s management. “I don’t understand the NEFF’s involvement. To threaten the company is not in the best interests of resolving this issue,” he says.
Moyo says the violation of strike rules has resulted in the company taking legal action, which involves a prolonged process. He says workers are feeling the pinch because the strike has been going on for months.
“The NEFF cannot compel the company to respond to the workers’ demands or close it down, because that is unlawful,” Moyo says. He says the workers’ demands are beyond what the company can afford. It is still willing to negotiate with the workers, Moyo says.
The Namibian recently reported that the NEFF challenged the minister of labour, industrial relations, and employment creation, Utoni Nujoma, to find a solution to the ongoing strike at Cheetah Cement.
The company and its workers have been in a deadlock for the past few months over working conditions. This was announced by NEFF vice president Longinus Iipumbu. He claimed the government is failing workers.
“Why have you not gone there? Leave your air-conditioned office and at least go to Otjiwarongo to mediate between the striking employees and the company,” Iipumbu asked Nujoma. CHINA TOWN BAN
In August, when granting bail, the High Court also prohibited Amushelelo and Nauyoma from going closer than one kilometre from the China Town shopping complex in Windhoek, where Amushelelo staged a live-streamed protest against Chinese-owned shops on 12 May.
Amushelelo was arrested on 13 May. The police arrested Nauyoma on the same day after he led a public demonstration against the arrest of Amushelelo at the China Town shopping complex. Both have been charged with public violence and incitement to commit an offence. Amushelelo has been charged with assault by threat as well.
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