Africa-Press – Namibia. THE recruitment list of the Namibia Grape Company (NGC) at Aussenkehr, which was published last week, has caused an uproar among communities in the //Kharas region.
The list contains predominantly Kavango residents and Oshiwambo-speaking Namibians. The company published the list last week, calling successful candidates to report for duty with their identity documents and a verification letter as proof of a bank account.
Keetmanshoop Rural councillor Gerrit Witbooi says such list is unacceptable as it does not reflect unemployed community members of the Noordoewer, Aussenkehr, Koës, and Aroab areas.
“Where are the people of those areas? Are you trying to tell me they did not apply or they did not qualify? The application only required an ID card and valid bank account number,” he says.
Stanley Ui-Nuseb, a Keetmanshoop resident, calls on local councillors to intervenene in the matter, and to have the recruitment list cancelled and amended.
“This thing cannot be allowed to go through like that. The councillors must engage the company leadership as a matter of urgency and let them explain and correct it,” he says.
The company employs 199 people on a full-time basis and is currently in the process of recruiting seasonal workers for the 2021/22 grape harvest. Out of 51 people on the list who have been requested to report for duty last Monday, only one is Afrikaans-speaking.
NGC manager Gideon Nuunyango says the recruitment list includes former seasonal workers who were already employed by the company to assist full-time workers.
“We are not recruiting new people. And the Afrikaans-speaking or Nama-speaking people are not just one person. There are about seven on that list, but they are not the only ones.
“Currently, we have a staff complement of 1 700 people, and among those are people from Noordoewer, Aussenkehr, Keetmanshoop and more,” Nuunyango says. Rashid Rooinasie, another community member, says when they complain about the current circumstances they are labelled as tribalist.
“Namibia belongs to all people, and anyone can work anywhere, but you will never get Nama-speaking people en masse in the northern regions of the country,” he says.
Meanwhile, Witbooi says he will deliver a list of unemployed young people from Noordoewer and Aussenkehr to the company and request that these Nama- and Afrikaans-speaking young people are employed. The NGC exports to key markets, such as the United States.
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