John Muyamba
Rundu-Over 300 former Namibia Road Products (NRP) employees are still waiting for their retrenchment packages after the company went into liquidation two years ago.
According to some former employees, the company assured them they will receive retrenchment packages but since 2015 August they have not received the severance packages.
Some 400 of these workers received their retrenchment packages last year and this year more than 30 retrenched workers got their packages but in total those who still need to be paid are 300.
“We spoke to the responsible lawyer at Executrust Namibia with the name ‘Van Straten’, on the phone several times, and he said he will get back to me and he never does. But we have clients who came to seek assistance from our office who want answers. I have been calling his office, but no positive answer, as the secretary always says he is not available, he is busy at court,” said Kangwali Shipapo from Trans Community Development Society of Namibia (TCDSN) when approached by the retrenchees for assistance.
TCDSN is an organisation that deals with community development. It advocates basic human rights promotion and claims. It also assists workers to recognise their rights.
“Executrust Namibia is the company which was given the mandate to auction all the NRP properties and equipment to pay workers’ retrenchment packages,” Shipapo added.
“These two men who came to my office to seek assistance have been waiting and they have also tried communicating with the company but with no success, and every time they are being told that their claims still have to be sent to the master of credit at the High Court for processing and so forth, and with our office this is a serious concern – one cannot wait for three years to get your retrenchment,” Shipapo added.
Shipapo has noticed that the retrenchees have been giving the company their contact details for it to give them feedback but nothing has happened so far.
“We have given them all the necessary documents and details but they are still not giving us our deserved packages. They must pay us our money so that we leave them alone,” said one retrenched worker, Mathews Kambinda.
According to information availed to this reporter Executrust Namibia is the executor appointed to liquidate and auction all the NRP properties to get money to pay retrenchment packages to workers. Trucks and other equipment have been auctioned and sold already.
New Era called the company and was told to send its queries to two secretaries but had not received an answer in the past two weeks despite follow-up calls.