Pressure to renew Zim work permits

The Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration is allegedly being “pressured” by certain employees in the Ministry of Works and Transport to renew the contracts of all 88 Zimbabweans who are still attached to the works ministry.

Sources inside the ministry say those who are pushing for the contract renewals do so “to eat with the others”.

The rumour was that the home affairs ministry had already processed new work permits for the Zimbabweans but it is now understood that home affairs permanent secretary Patrick Nandago is still considering the applications.

“The buck stops with him,” said a source in the works ministry.

“Renewal of the work permits, however, does not make sense because there are no projects the Zimbabweans are currently working on. There is no work for them or us here. Any renewal will only further suck our economy dry.”

The request to the home affairs ministry is questioned, particularly because most of the Zimbabweans' contracts expire at the end of this month. Their contracts were extended for three months in June.

Works ministry permanent secretary Willem Goeiemann would not comment on the applications for work permits, saying only that he still had to consult staff at the ministry.



Water from the trough

In the meantime, some of the Zimbabwean professionals have been spotted collecting large containers of water from the head office of the works ministry, as well as from outside taps at the adjacent office of the Roads Authority (RA).



Disbelieving Namibian staff say this has been going for at least the last two weeks.

“What is going on here?” asked one Namibian staff member. “It is as if these Zimbabweans are living in heaven.”

The attractive packages offered to the Zimbabwean professionals include housing, as well as rent allowances, which cover water and electricity usage.

According to the sources none of those carting off water in large containers have so far been confronted or stopped, despite the police officers sitting at the front desk at the head office having been alerted to this.

Some of the Zimbabwean professionals have reportedly been kicked out of their accommodation because they have not been paying rent, despite receiving housing allowances from the Namibian government.

It is suspected that many of these young professionals prefer to send money to their families in Zimbabwe instead of spending it here.



The old deal

The Zimbabwean professionals have been attached to the works ministry for five years under an agreement signed by former President Hifikepunye Pohamba and his Zimbabwean counterpart, Robert Mugabe, in 2012.

This agreement lapsed in June and a new one is still being devised.

Because of the controversies surrounding the employment of the young Zimbabwean professionals, technical staff at the works ministry advised that the Namibian government be more circumspect when considering a new agreement.

“Over the last five years the programme has not produced any results. Since last June there have also not been any active projects. The Zimbabweans are just here to eat,” said a source at the ministry.

The 2012 agreement was a “project of secondment of professional staff” in the field of infrastructure development and maintenance from the Zimbabwean government.

It was to remain in force for five years, to be renewed for a further five years, but may be terminated by either party upon giving six months' notice through diplomatic channels.

Under this agreement 23 architects, 20 quantity surveyors, 21 civil or structural engineers, 17 electrical engineers and 16 mechanical engineers were to be seconded to Namibia's works ministry.

Zimbabwe would send the professionals “for the purpose of implementing projects on infrastructure development and maintenance”.

Namibia would cover their financial, accommodation and transport needs and be responsible for economy-class air tickets for the professionals and their families from Zimbabwe to Namibia and back.

There was a formal undertaking that Namibian professionals, “when available”, would understudy the Zimbabweans. Insiders say there has not been a single Namibian understudy and those working with the young and inexperienced Zimbabweans were employed temporarily as assistants to the foreigners.

The Zimbabweans were also to provide in-service training to Namibians, while Namibia was to help the Zimbabweans to obtain relevant documents from the home affairs ministry, to register with local professional bodies, and to register their children at schools.



CATHERINE SASMAN