Former national airline employees are still vying for their hard-earned pensions some three years after the country officially bid farewell to the national flag carrier, following government’s decision to proceed with the airline’s voluntary liquidation.
About two weeks ago, more than 600 frustrated ex-employees of Air Namibia demonstrated at the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) over their delayed pension pay-outs.
“Some of the colleagues started receiving their pension pay-outs from 13 October 2023. We are happy but still aggrieved by some doings from Namfisa. What we are receiving is just part of the payment, with the rest only coming from 2025,” said Renier Bougard – a former Air Namibia staff member representing former employees.
In an interview with New Era, Bougard explained that some of the pension fund money was invested in an unlisted investment that is only expected to mature in 2025.
He noted there is nothing that can be done to access the funds, as no exit clause exists.
The frustrated Bougard said: “Now we are owed money from two accounts – and now we have to pay administrators about N$1.3 million that is withheld from our money to finalise the payment”.
He continued that it is unfair for former Air Namibia employees to fight for their money, particularly amidst tough economic conditions.
“Now, we, as the former workers, must suffer until 2025. So, you’ve been unemployed, but you will have to wait for the money you can get. We are suffering from depression, and some of our former colleagues committed suicide already,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Namfisa’s spokesperson Victoria Muranda in a statement, dated 5 October 2023, explained that Section 28(7) of the Act prescribes: “The Registrar shall cause to be published a notice, calling upon all interested persons to inspect the preliminary account, preliminary balance sheet and report, and for the interested parties to lodge their objections in writing with the Registrar within a period stated in the notice”.
However, Bougard confirmed that no objection was filed.
The public notice was published on 15 August 2023, and the period within which members of the public could lodge objections lapsed on Friday, 29 September 2023.
“The members of the Air Namibia Retirement Fund are advised to contact the appointed liquidators, who can advise on their internal timelines for disbursement in the event of the liquidation proceeding in terms of section 28(8),” Muranda advised at the time.
Back in 2021, finance minister Iipumbu Shiimi said as a shareholder, government assured the airline’s more than 600 employees that their welfare remains a priority.
For this reason, the State committed to an ex-gratia payment to the value of 12 months’ salary for each employee.
“We will continue with consultations with the interim board and the management to work out detailed modalities of winding up the operations of the current Air Namibia – and that includes the schedule of payments to the employees and the protection of the assets in the possession of the company. The nation will be informed in this regard,” Shiimi said at the time.
A former Air Namibia employee, Susan Mpinge, said: “The money we are asking for is not a cash loan. It is money we worked very hard for and now we are starving. We are losing our homes, and life is becoming more expensive every day. So, what are we supposed to do to survive at this point,” Mpinge asked.
Another former Air Namibia employee, Willem Christian, said “Patience will not pay our bills or put food on the table”.
Air Namibia was liquidated after government tried for three decades to save the struggling State-owned airline.
The State has over the years pumped more than N$8 billion into the beleaguered airline through constant bailouts and cash injections.
Photo: Air Namibia
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