Komsberg
The //Karas Swapo regional coordinator Matheus Mumbala has lashed out at the general manager of Komsberg grape farm Jannie Thiart, telling him to pack his bags and leave.
He made the statement on Friday during his visit to victims of the flood that swept away about 60 reed houses, leaving workers homeless, a three-year-old boy missing and about 800 workers affected at the farm about 70 kilometres south-east of Ariamsvlei.
Mumbala who got to the farm in the early morning of last Friday to assess and coordinate help for the affected people said he was very disturbed by the conduct of Thiart, accusing him of not responding to the emergency and to the needs of the workers.
Mumbala said upon his arrival at the farm, he called the managers of both Gomsberg and Desert Fruit farm to discuss the best way to assist the workers and where they would be relocated but Thiart did not respond.
While the Desert Fruit management explained to him that they had no suitable place to relocate the workers Thiart appeared unwilling to help the workers of Komsberg.
Thiart’s alleged lack of cooperation left Mumbala angry and frustrated, saying there is no other solution for people like him but to leave the country. “Jannie must pack up and go, he is here as a GM, he is not the owner,” he stressed.
He added that the position Thiart occupies can now be filled by a Namibian. “We are now experienced in the grape industry, capable of taking it over and doing an even better job.”
The Swapo regional head further revealed that during a confrontation with Thiart he asked him whether he is Namibian to which he gave a no answer. “Thus it’s clear that he is not helping the people because he is not Namibian and therefore does not care for the Namibian people.”
“I appeal to the Ministry of Home Affairs to revoke his work permit so that he can leave our country in peace,” Mumbala said.
He also called on the government to take ownership of the financially troubled farm, saying the incident is a warning that after 25 years of independence no one must be living in a reed house.
Mumbala expressed his sympathy towards the family of the missing boy and thanked both the police and Namibian Defence Force (NDF) for their swift response.
Contacted for comment Thiart was in no mood to speak to journalists, but briefly refuted all allegations saying he and three of his foremen were helping out the workers from the beginning to the end of the flood.