The Cabinet’s decision to voluntarily liquidate Air Namibia has led to a massive nationwide demonstration, with at least two union umbrella bodies staging protest marches. 
The nationwide demonstration was organised by the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), while the Trade Union Congress of Namibia (Tucna) also joined the fray, with a demonstration in Windhoek.

Demonstrators under the NUNW banner first marched to the Swapo headquarters to deliver a petition to the party’s secretary general Sophia Shaningwa. 

The group demanded the removal of public enterprises minister Leon Jooste, saying he betrayed the trust of the Namibian nation. The group continued to the Office of the Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila and hand over another petition. 
Reading the petition, Ndapewa Amupanda of the Namibia Transport and Allied Workers Union (Natau), which is affiliated to NUNW, said Jooste made himself “untrustable and therefore unfit to hold public office”.

Amupanda claimed Jooste betrayed the mandate bestowed upon him to oversee the profitability of state-owned commercial enterprises. 

“The fact that Jooste chose to go and negotiate issues relating to Air Namibia singularly in the United States of America, serves as a clear testimony that he has vested interest in the liquidation of Air Namibia,” claimed Amupanda. Amupanda stated that NUNW is aware that there are viable proposals presented to Jooste to turn Air Namibia into a profitable entity, which according to her, the public enterprises minister chose not to present to the Cabinet for consideration, including professional reports by experts that were procured at a cost. Jooste has in the past denied that there was a “concerted effort” to kill Air Namibia. He has also denied having an interest in West Air, which was reported to be interested in buying Air Namibia’s assets some years back.

After receiving the petition, Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said she will convey the demands to the relevant authorities for serious consideration. Kuugongelwa-Amadhila told the group government was concerned about how the nation feels about the whole matter and that Cabinet will do its best to make sure the best interest of the country is protected. Under the affiliation of Tucna, the Namibia Airline Pilots Association (Napa) also marched and delivered their petition to be heard in parliament. In a petition directed to the Speaker of the National Assembly Peter Katjavivi, the airline employees demanded answers from Cabinet claiming the top government structure decided to close down the national airline without any reference to anybody or scientific evidence. “How did we get here, who brought us here, who decided to liquidate the airline, and how did they reach this decision?” read the petition that was delivered by Napa president Heino Jakob. The petition was received by Lydia Kandetu, the secretary to the National Assembly at Zoo Park. Jakob further noted that political parties should not be allowed to take decisions with negative consequences for all Namibians in general and workers and their families in particular.

The workers demanded that the voluntary liquidation of Air Namibia should be aborted forthwith and that the shareholder should seek other means to continue the operations. They also demanded that a proper process of consultation at all relevant levels be commenced with the trade unions representing employees, which include ultimately constituting a proper mandated parliamentary committee tasked to investigate and to make recommendations to parliament on the issue of the national airline. Financials from a few months ago indicated that Air Namibia’s liabilities as at August 2020 totalled about N$3 billion compared to assets of N$981 million. Government has for three decades tried to save the struggling state-owned enterprise and has over the years pumped more than N$8 billion into the beleaguered airline through constant bailouts and cash injections.

mndjavera@nepc.com.na 
Out in numbers… Members of unions affiliated to NUNW march against Air Namibia’s liquidation.
Photo: Emmency Nuukala