By Kuzeeko Tjitemisa
WINDHOEK – Workers of Namibia Beverages, the producer and bottler of Coca-Cola in Namibia, demonstrated yesterday afternoon in the capital to express their unhappiness with the way they are being treated by the company.
“We are victimised and exploited only because of our skin colour and we want this to stop as soon as possible,” a worker in the crowd of demonstrators shouted.
The group gathered at 13h00 in front of the company building in the Northern Industrial Area in the capital.
“We demand transparency in salary scales, grading, and it must not be confidential or a secret to employees,” read the statement handed to management by one of the employees on behalf of the group.
The group claims the shop stewards – only identified as Johannes and Abraham – were suspended on Monday just because they represented them.
“We want the suspension to be withdrawn with immediate effect,” shouted the group.
The workers are also demanding an investigation into the activities of the company’s management, which they claim is made up mostly of South African citizens.
Workers further demanded that the Affirmative Action Report, which according to them is currently being manipulated and under review at the office of the Employment Equity Commissioner, be rejected and withdrawn with immediate effect.
Additionally workers want salaries and benefits that were proposed in the Affirmative Action Report of 2013 to be implemented as soon as possible.
Workers further demanded that victimisation of black people on the Affirmative Action Committee stop with immediate effect.
Workers have given the company 48 hours to respond to their demands.
Namibia Beverages/Coca Cola Managing Director Frik Oosthuizen said he did not want to comment because their case is with “the commissioner”.
“Once the commissioner is done then I can call you and we can discuss the Affirmative Action Report,” he said.
On the issue of discrimination, Oosthuizen said the company has a proven track record.
“I can assure you there is no discrimination in this company, workers are treated equally,” he said.
Namibia Beverage bottles Coca-Cola, Sprite, Schweppes and Sparletta.