March of the jobless coming
The leader of the official opposition says he is planning a national march of unemployed people.
Plans to organise a national march for unemployed people are at an advanced stage, says Popular Democratic Movement leader McHenry Venaani.
Venaani told a group of Walvis Bay fishermen, who went on strike in November 2015 and lost their jobs, that the march would materialise in February next year.
“Ministers, who I am prepared to name, have fishing rights and are being dictated to by their foreign bosses to make use of temporary workers who are cheaper,” he claimed yesterday.
“We cannot listen to ministers who are compromised. They and their families are co-owners of the fishing industry and are not listening to workers. We are going to march to the National Assembly and fishermen will be provided with an opportunity to highlight and present their plight. The prevailing situation cannot be allowed to continue.”
Venaani emphasised that the striking fishermen and the PDM would approach the High Court to test the constitutionality of workers' rights and their demand for fair working conditions. Venaani further said that the two-thirds majority enjoyed by President Hage Geingob should be broken because he (Geingob) simply does not listen anymore.
“This thing of no Namibian should be left out is a fallacy.
Why are the striking fishermen being left out and why has no solution been found? Some fishermen never received their severance pay and government is quiet about it. Houses owned by black people are being demolished by black people in Katima Mulilo. Look what happened to Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe. His arrogance and stubbornness caused him his presidency. Zuma is also worried about losing power in South Africa. Leaders must respect the people otherwise they will turn against them.” According to Venaani, Geingob was scared of the truth and therefore not willing to meet with him. “I wrote letters and requested an audience with the president on three occasions. I am the only opposition leader and he is refusing to meet with me. This could be due to me not being part of Harambee.”
Venaani first issued a 30-day ultimatum to the government to resolve a long-standing impasse between striking fishermen and their respective employers on 5 September 2016 during a visit to the striking fishermen in Kuisebmond.
On that occasion, he demanded that all workers be re-employed and commended them for conducting themselves in an orderly and peaceful manner throughout their ordeal.
He also called on Geingob to do the right thing and said the government, companies and the striking workers should head back to the negotiating table to resolve the impasse.
“This is a national and not a political issue, which is now beyond the point of no return and it must be resolved. It is affecting more than 30 000 people and not only the approximately 2 000 striking fishermen alone.
“Negotiations to ensure all striking fishermen are re-employed should be initiated with immediate effect.
“The striking fishermen are not the unemployed and a solution to resolve this prevailing situation is easy.
“Everyone must be re-employed. Unemployment is a crisis in the country with more than 30% of Namibians not having jobs.”
OTIS FINCK
Venaani told a group of Walvis Bay fishermen, who went on strike in November 2015 and lost their jobs, that the march would materialise in February next year.
“Ministers, who I am prepared to name, have fishing rights and are being dictated to by their foreign bosses to make use of temporary workers who are cheaper,” he claimed yesterday.
“We cannot listen to ministers who are compromised. They and their families are co-owners of the fishing industry and are not listening to workers. We are going to march to the National Assembly and fishermen will be provided with an opportunity to highlight and present their plight. The prevailing situation cannot be allowed to continue.”
Venaani emphasised that the striking fishermen and the PDM would approach the High Court to test the constitutionality of workers' rights and their demand for fair working conditions. Venaani further said that the two-thirds majority enjoyed by President Hage Geingob should be broken because he (Geingob) simply does not listen anymore.
“This thing of no Namibian should be left out is a fallacy.
Why are the striking fishermen being left out and why has no solution been found? Some fishermen never received their severance pay and government is quiet about it. Houses owned by black people are being demolished by black people in Katima Mulilo. Look what happened to Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe. His arrogance and stubbornness caused him his presidency. Zuma is also worried about losing power in South Africa. Leaders must respect the people otherwise they will turn against them.” According to Venaani, Geingob was scared of the truth and therefore not willing to meet with him. “I wrote letters and requested an audience with the president on three occasions. I am the only opposition leader and he is refusing to meet with me. This could be due to me not being part of Harambee.”
Venaani first issued a 30-day ultimatum to the government to resolve a long-standing impasse between striking fishermen and their respective employers on 5 September 2016 during a visit to the striking fishermen in Kuisebmond.
On that occasion, he demanded that all workers be re-employed and commended them for conducting themselves in an orderly and peaceful manner throughout their ordeal.
He also called on Geingob to do the right thing and said the government, companies and the striking workers should head back to the negotiating table to resolve the impasse.
“This is a national and not a political issue, which is now beyond the point of no return and it must be resolved. It is affecting more than 30 000 people and not only the approximately 2 000 striking fishermen alone.
“Negotiations to ensure all striking fishermen are re-employed should be initiated with immediate effect.
“The striking fishermen are not the unemployed and a solution to resolve this prevailing situation is easy.
“Everyone must be re-employed. Unemployment is a crisis in the country with more than 30% of Namibians not having jobs.”
OTIS FINCK
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