MUN says government should probe mining industry retrenchments

KEETMANSHOOP, 25 JUL – The Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) has called upon the government to intervene and investigate retrenchments in the mining industry.
The union believes the reasons mines proffer to retrench employees are not good enough, while retrenchments are instituted mainly to maximise profit.
MUN Southern Regional Chairperson, Allen Kalumbu made this call to Government during a media conference here on Tuesday.
“The reasons mines are sending young Namibians to the streets are not good enough or are unreasonable as in most cases, mines retrench for the sake of maximising their profits by cutting wage bills,” Kalumbu claimed.
He said 94 employees at Tantalite Mine in Warmbad are about to lose their jobs, adding that about 1 800 job losses are expected in the mining sector countrywide by end of September this year.
Kalumbu urged Government to investigate the matter of retrenchment to ensure that the mines “are acting according to the law”.
He also called on Government to start revoking mining licences of companies who embark on retrenchment exercises without valid reasons and then opt to recruit a skeleton crew.
“These companies retrench people, then recruit them again and start paying them peanuts.”
Kalumbi said the idea of allowing investors into the country is to create employment and not unemployment, thus the government should revoke the mining licenses from those who fail to do so.
“There is no way a skeleton crew can work in the mining industry; we cannot tolerate seeing our fellow Namibians on the street each and every day due to investors who are not serious to run businesses in this country,” he said.
Kalumbu said the MUN was worried too about the mining industry being brought to its knees as retrenchments and outsourcing have become the order of the day.
“It is becoming normal that every day and every month people are continuously losing their jobs. The current trend is worrisome to us and it needs to come to an end,” he stressed.
(NAMPA)