Okapare fishers demand ‘just and dignified’ package

Former fishermen under the Government Employment Redress Programme (GERP), represented by the Okapare Fishermen Association, handed over a petition in Walvis Bay last Thursday during a peaceful demonstration, challenging a decision to pay severance to some workers.

The association is calling for the decision to be suspended pending meaningful engagement with affected employees and their representatives.

Godfried Kuhanga, chairman of the association, said the fishermen wanted dialogue rather than to be forced out of the programme.

“We are not rejecting government. We are asking government to engage with us and find a fair and just solution for the people who have been waiting for years,” Kuhanga said.

The association has requested an urgent response within seven working days.

“We are not here to fight. We are here because our people are suffering, and we want a solution. We are asking for dialogue, fairness and a dignified way forward,” he said.

“These are people who have suffered for years. Some are already elderly, and now they are being told to leave the programme without knowing what will happen to them afterwards,” Kuhanga said.

The association said its members held a general meeting in Walvis Bay on 20 September to vote on the severance decision, where 90% voted against it.

“Out of 847 employees, 762 rejected the severance decision. That is a clear indication that our members want to be consulted before decisions affecting their livelihoods are implemented,” Kuhanga said.

No consultations, fishermen say

A Cabinet decision dated 21 April approved the payment of severance to GERP employees aged 55 and older, as well as those who voluntarily wish to leave the programme.

The association, however, said employees were not consulted before the decision was taken and questioned whether the proposed severance payments would be sufficient.

“At 55 and above, it is not easy to find employment. If you take someone out of GERP at that age, what happens to that person and their family until they reach retirement?” Kuhanga said.

The association also raised concerns about the lack of pension, medical aid and other employment benefits for many affected workers.

“We want to know what the alternative is. Will these people simply leave GERP and become dependent on social grants? What happens to their families? These are questions that government needs to answer,” Kuhanga said.

The petition also raises a longstanding dispute over unpaid overtime and night-shift allowances dating back to the implementation of the Labour Act of 2007.

“This is not only about severance. The root of the problem goes back to the overtime and night-shift allowances that were never paid. We have been engaging government on these issues for years,” Kuhanga said.

New season

The association wants employees, including those aged 55 and older, to remain in GERP until they turn 60, or until consultations have taken place and a permanent solution has been reached.

If an exit becomes unavoidable, it is calling for a “just and dignified” package to support affected workers and their families. It also wants a negotiation forum involving the ministry, the association and employee representatives established within 14 days.

The association has further called for assurances that no GERP employee who took part in Thursday’s demonstration will face victimisation.

According to the petition, the Cabinet decision is expected to be implemented at the start of the new fishing seasons, with the hake season beginning on 1 November and the horse mackerel season on 1 January 2027.