SWAKOPMUND – The High Court of Namibia has dismissed the labour appeal of former Usakos CEO Gruzi Goseb’s against an arbitration ruling in which he lost a labour case against the Usakos Town Council 2018.
Goseb has been in a lengthy battle with the Usakos council after his five-year contract was not renewed in 2017 by council.
He lodged a labour dispute citing council unilaterally decided not to renew his contract without giving him valid reasons.
However, arbitrator Ndapewa Helmut who presided over the labour dispute last year dismissed the case initially, stating that his contract was not illegally terminated but his five-year fixed term of employment simply ended.
She also stated that Goseb could not justify his allegations of unfair dismissal and unfair labour practice during the hearing and dismissed the case.
Goseb appealed against the ruling and the case was heard in November last year in the High Court.
However, Deputy-Judge President Hosea Angula dismissed the case on 8 May with no costs.
The matter was also removed from the court roll and considered finalized.
In his ruling, Angula stated that the court rejected the appellant’s contention and stating that not only had council comply with the provisions of the Labour Act but also exercised its discretion properly.
He stated that the court is of view that findings by the arbitrator that the appellant was not dismissed but that his contract expired by effluxion of time in terms of the statutory provisions and the terms of contract was correct and is not perverse.