WINDHOEK – Secretary to Cabinet, George Simataa, has appealed for patience from children of the liberation struggle, who completed training at Berg Aukas nine months ago and await job placements as promised.
The group says it is frustrated by the slow pace at which its members are being placed into jobs. As a result, the group plans to march to Simataa’s office to hand in a petition and ask how much longer they should wait before they are placed.
One of the 300 trainees, who completed training in office administration at Berg Aukas in October last year, Jerry Hamukwaya, said what is particularly painful is that less than 100 of the 300 trainees got appointment letters before completing their trades while others did not.
“About 210 trainees are still waiting for government to place them into jobs. We are told to be patient. Some of the trainees had jobs before government offered this training but now, they are jobless,” remarked Hamukwaya.
Meantime, the group has re-submitted a letter to Khomas regional commander, Joseph Shikongo, asking for police escort to the Office of the Prime Minister next week.
The group underwent training in various trades such as plumbing, agriculture, welding and brick laying in 2016 after President Hage Geingob requested N$11.3 million from Social Security Commission Development Fund for training at Berg Aukas and Farm du Plessis. Upon completion of the training, the trainees were to be offered employment opportunities in government and stated-owned enterprises, they said.
Simataa told New Era that government is not deserting the group but there are no positions available at the moment. “It is not easy to place all of them at once. When it was, we did. We placed them immediately upon completion but positions are not available right now,” said Simataa.
Simataa added that they told the group several times that jobs are not available and government is not being deliberate but is hamstrung by circumstances beyond control.
“They must chill, when there are vacancies we will call them. Our government is reducing the number (of unemployed trainees) it is not like we are not doing anything,” stated Simataa.