Workers, politicians pile pressure on cement factory
OTJIWARONGO - Otjozondjupa governor James Uerikua and regional council chairperson Marlayn Mbakera on Wednesday convened an urgent meeting with the management of the Cheetah Cement factory outside Otjiwarongo, following recent concerns on labour unrest there.
The factory is a joint venture between some Chinese investors and Whale Rock trading as Cheetah Cement.
Several Chinese heads of department, CheetahCementboard chairperson Zedekias Gowaseb, government labour inspectors, Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) representatives as well asstatesecurityofficials amongst others attended the meeting, where Uerikua had demanded answers behind the labour unrest.
In the meeting, the aggrieved workers said: “We work in a dusty environment, yet with no dust masks, a Chinese supervisor comes to work with a gun to intimidate us, the company has no salary structure, no medical aid, no pension benefits and most of us earn about N$3 600 a month.”
Some Chinese nationals, they claimed are employed as welders, stock clerk officers, cleaners, truck and forklift drivers as well as cooks, jobs that Namibians can also do.
Workers also said the entire executive structure is of Chinese nationals, as a result, no skills transfer is taking place, while calling on the human resource department to employ them on a permanent basis, instead of using a recruiting agency that hires them on three to six-month contracts.
The workers further demanded the removal of the company’s chief administrative officer Zayn Koorts, labelling him as dishonest, cunning and unfit for the position.
Gowaseb on his part admitted wrongdoings from the company’s side in some areas and instructed management to follow stipulated labour laws and address the issues of no medical aid and pension benefits.
Governor Uerikua and Mbakera were left shocked to hear how Cheetah Cement is conducting its business and agreed with Gowaseb that representatives of
MUN and workers meet the management on 16 and 17 May 2022, to find solutions to all issues affecting the workers.
The meeting also resolved that a clinic on the factory premises be established as cases of injuries allegedly take place weekly.
About 210 Namibians and 44 Chinese work for the company. -Nampa