Tantalite workers not yet retrenched

KEETMANSHOOP, 11 JUL (NAMPA) – The 94 Namibia Tantalite Mine employees at Warmbad set to lose their jobs at the end of June are not yet retrenched as the Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) and the company continue negotiations on the severance packages.
This is according to MUN regional organiser in the south, Elvis Bekele, who disclosed to Nampa on Monday that the two parties have not reached an agreement about backpay in terms of Section 34, Act No. 11 of the Labour Act of 2007. He said as such, the matter is now with the Labour Commission.
“In a meeting on 02 July 2018, we requested the company to provide all the information needed to continue or to enable us to negotiate effectively and the company failed to do so,” said Bekele.
He said the plant at the mine experienced approximately 73 hours downtime per month for the last six months due to water shortages and the lack of production and that is why the company wanted to retrench.
Bekele claimed that “the issue of the shortage of water at the mine was caused by a consultant who changed the whole set and messed up everything”.
“The consultant then informed the chief executive officer (CEO) that all employees at this mine are not competent to perform duties and advised it was best for the CEO to retrench all 94 employees and recruit a skeleton crew from Congo as the consultant is Congolese,” Bekele further claimed.
Upon enquiry, Namibia Tantalite Mine CEO, Larry Johnson responded that the company provided the union with the requested documents, “even though their request was late according to Section 34 of the Labour Act”.
He also condemned the allegations that the consultant was responsible for the water problem, demanding proof from the union.
“I would not agree to that and I fail to understand why they are saying that, they do not even have proof,” Johnson said.
Asked whether the mine is closing due to the shortage of water, the CEO refused to comment.
(NAMPA)