RUNDU – Following reports of Rundu mass housing project workers being unhappy with poor working conditions, Lo-Ammi Trading Construction has quit the mass housing scheme at Rundu.
Quality Height Maintenance is now the new builder after Lo-Ammi Trading Construction quit after a run-in with workers.
Workers who grumbled over low wages are now saying they are content with the new salaries that they say are fair unlike the ones paid by their previous employer Lo-Ammi Trading Construction.
It was reported that Lo-Ammi Trading Construction abandoned the site in September over non-payment of workers.
Lo-Ammi was sub-contracted by Green Cycle Investment Company to build 60 houses in Rundu as part of the government’s mass housing project.
Over 140 Lo-Ammi workers were instructed to down tools last week after the company was paid only a portion of the money due for work already done.
During the time when workers faced problems with the contractors the Metal and Allied Namibian Workers Union (Manwu) stepped in to negotiate with the four contractors on site and many responded but Lo-Ammi dragged its feet to solve the issue and later threw in the towel and left.
When Lo-Ammi pulled out of the project after failing to resolve the situation with workers, the main contractor Green Cycle through its subcontractor EPK Construction recruited another subcontractor Quality Height Maintenance, which is owned by Mare Tiaan, to finish the 48 half-built houses and 12 others from scratch – the number making up the 60 houses that Lo-Ammi was supposed to deliver to Green Cycle.
“Some of the houses were built up to roof level and we have to finish them now. I have my workers working on contracts, I pay them per minimum wage and I have given them protective work clothes and safety boots and if we do a good job we might continue as a team if Green Cycle grants us another contract for phase 2. What we are doing now is building a profile. We have to fix what the other contractor left and deliver the houses latest by 15 December,” Tiaan said.
When New Era interviewed one of the workers Kamenye Johanna who is also a shop steward for the new contractor on how the present work environment is, she said “all is well now”.
Another employee was equally happy saying they now have contracts that will allow them to work until the project is concluded.
“Our new boss is good, we have a good working relationship with him, he talks to us even when we have issues, things are going well, even with health and safety now we are fine,” said Joubert Augustus.
Speaking to New Era, the Metal and Allied Namibian Workers Union (Manwu) Regional Coordinator for Kavango East and Kavango West, Richard Matengu also expressed satisfaction.
Matengu stated workers are no longer exploited and that as a union they appreciate the current situation at the housing project.
The new subcontractor Quality Height Maintenance has contracted 120 workers.
The mass housing project is being executed at Kaisosi informal settlement’s Extension 10 on the eastern outskirts of Rundu. NHE appointed Windhoek-based Green Cycle Investment to construct 318 houses for N$90 million.
By John Muyamba