Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Job uncertainty clouds Rosh Pinah

Home Archived Job uncertainty clouds Rosh Pinah

WALVIS BAY – Close to 200 employees of the Rosh Pinah Zinc Corporation face possible retrenchment early next year.

The shocking revelation was made on Friday by insiders and some employees of the zinc mine situated in //Karas Region.

The possible retrenchment follows just a month after the Mine Workers Union of Namibia (MUN) at Rosh Pinah submitted a proposal on wage increments next year, some workers revealed.

Disgruntled Rosh Pinah workers upon enquiry on Friday told New Era that no official word about the planned retrenchment has been communicated to them.

“However, news about the retrenchment has spread like wildfire at the mine since last week.  Apart from that we noticed that our top management has been in and out of meetings lately,” said one worker, adding that the information has been communicated to the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Doreen Sioka.

Rosh Pinah insiders said the situation is “critical” as the workers are unhappy that no discussions were held with them or their union representatives regarding the possible retrenchment.

“Things have dramatically changed around here. People are being fired for simple things,” one of the workers said.

New Era also learned that that a team from the mine apparently briefed the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare on Friday in Windhoek with regard to the possible retrenchment.

When contacted for comment, Eben Tjarondo, the Mine Workers Union (MUN) branch organiser at Rosh Pinah yesterday said the shop steward only “informed” him on the issue and that he could not comment any further on the matter as information was lacking.

He then confirmed that a proposal on wage negotiations was handed to Rosh Pinah management about a month ago.

“It is just strange that they are planning to retrench some workers and if this is true it is happening while we have documents in our possession that clearly show the company is not in a bad financial situation,” he said.

He however told New Era that he would only be able to make a statement today after meeting with management.

Management could not be reached at the time of going to print yesterday.

Rosh Pinah Zinc Corporation operates as a lead and zinc mining company which is believed to employ more than 600 people.

The company was founded in 1999 and is based in Rosh Pinah, southern Namibia. As of June 11, 2012, Rosh Pinah Zinc Corporation (Pty) Ltd operated as a subsidiary of GlencoreXstrata, one of the world’s largest diversified natural resource companies.

By Eveline de Klerk