Pilot recruitment questioned

Air Namibia is once again accused of excluding white Namibian men from recruitment as pilots while shortlisting and interviewing unsuitably qualified black candidates.

The airline on 5 October last year advertised vacancies for ERJ 135 pilots with among the requisite commercial pilot licences and a minimum of 250 hours' flying experience.

The advertisement did specify that Namibian citizens from previously disadvantaged groups were “encouraged” to apply but it did not stipulate that white male citizens would not be considered for these positions.

According to sources preferring anonymity, at least four white male applicants had commercial airline transport licences but were not considered for the shortlist.

It is understood that each of the four applicants had about 4 000 hours' flying experience; one of the applicants had 6 000 hours' experience.

It is alleged that some of the black candidates who have since been interviewed do not have commercial flying licences and have fewer flying hours than the white applicants. It is further alleged that Air Namibia last recruited white male pilots in 2012, and has lost many of its white male captains due to poor and frustrating working conditions.

Air Namibia spokesman Paul Nakawa has denied all these allegations and insisted that the airline was the “biggest equal opportunity employer” in the country.

He said recruitment at the airline complied with the Affirmative Action (AA) Act and Labour Act and that all Namibians were considered during the recruitment process.

He said the white male captains had left for greener pastures.

While not directly responding to the allegation that some of the shortlisted black candidates do not have commercial flying licences, Nakawa merely stated that in the heavily regulated aviation sector no pilot would be allowed without the requisite licence.

Nakawa further said that Air Namibia employed pilots “based on operations requirements and with a view to growing market share and confidence”.





According to him Air Namibia currently employs 35 previously disadvantaged pilots as opposed to 41 previously advantaged ones, with seven ad hoc pilots. He said ad hoc pilots were used based on “urgent and crucial operations requirements”.

Nakawa said Air Namibia was trying to establish a “fair and balanced pilot complement reflecting the present-day demographics” of Namibia.

Nakawa further denied an allegation that some of the black pilots had not been approved by a Swiss flying school to fly the Embraer jet because they did not have the requisite experience and had to return to Namibia, which allegedly cost the company millions.

“Air Namibia has an obligation, as a responsible employer, to train local Namibian pilots and the airline will continue to do so with tremendous resources committed for this purpose,” said Nakawa.

According to him it has cost Air Namibia more than N$8 million to train pilots. This excludes “soft” training courses.

Asked whether Air Namibia was recruiting foreigners instead of white Namibians as alleged, Nakawa said: “With the emphasis of colour identification being rather distasteful, Namibia as a nation does not have the requisite skilled labour force required to fly the type of aircraft operated by Air Namibia, therefore the commitment of the airline and its leadership to ensure the conscious and continuous training of pilots.”

CATHERINE SASMAN