WINDHOEK – Workers constructing the Otjinene-Okondjatu trunk road, who downed tools for more than a week in October citing unsafe and inhuman conditions, went back to work after their union met with the labour ministry last week.
Union representatives met with the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Alpheus Muheua.
Evalistus Kaaronda, president of the Namibia National Labour Organisation (Nanlo), representing hundreds of workers working on the site, told New Era after the deputy minister gave directives to China Henan International Group, also known as Chico, responsible for constructing the road, that the workers agreed to go back to work.
Kaaronda said the Chinese construction company was told to obey safety and health requirements, which they apparently agreed to.
The unionist said it all started when workers decided to go on an illegal strike out of frustration after government and another union, which formerly represented them, did not resolve disputes over working conditions.
Workers apparently demanded to be given employment contracts, but the company ignored them and instead fired the shop stewards representing the workers.
Kaaronda said that after thorough investigations he concluded that operations at the site were unsafe as the Chinese company used an outdated crusher that they had assembled.
He explained there were no safety measures, such as a walkway, which meant that a worker could plunge to death, and employees also exposed themselves to other safety risks as they were required to go inside the crusher when stones got stuck in it.
Another matter that Kaaronda took issue with was the bypass road that according to safety requirements is supposed to be tarred or made wet on a daily basis to ensure less exposure to dust.
“The road is not tarred and people have made accidents on that road. The law places an obligation on the contractor to do that,” he said.
Kaaronda revealed that a young mechanic working for Chico died after being run over by one of the company trucks, which was apparently also not roadworthy and had no brakes.
“We didn’t know. It was being kept under wraps,” he added, though he felt more still needs to be done to go behind the story.
He is of the opinion government should not only just give directions as to how employees should treat their workers, but they should also sign compliance orders.
The second phase of upgrading the Gobabis-Otjinene-Grootfontein road to bitumen standard, which passes through Okondjatu on trunk road TR 14/2 links the Omaheke and Otjozondjupa regions and is expected to ease transport along this busy route.
By Magreth Nunuhe