KEETMANSHOOP – The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) has made allegations that Namdeb management is engaged in various irregularities and unfair practices, ranging from workplace bullying, intimidation, harassment and victimisation of employees.
In a petition recently read by the party’s //Kharas youth wing leader Melody Swartbooi, the opposition political party attacked the diamond mining giant bare-knuckled.
“The Landless People’s Movement and the Oranjemund community made a vow that ‘we shall not stop’, and that we shall ensure restorative justice will never lose its power and substance until Namdeb comes clean on the workplace bullying, harassment, structural violence, economic deprivation and inequity that is advanced for the benefit of the exclusive club of friends and family of monarch Riaan Burger,” the petition read.
Swartbooi added that as the LPM and disgruntled community, it’s disheartening, undesirable, unbearable, and they are disturbed, disappointed, disgusted by the ill-intents actioned through the misleading and misdirected response from Burger.
Thus, the concerned groups came to remind Namdeb that the party stands in solidarity, and will continuously knock on Burger’s doorstep until justice is served against their elected councillor, Guame Stephanus, and all other Namdeb employees.
The youth wing alleged that a witch-hunt against Stephanus had led to a point of even having baseless allegations levelled against him to try and break him, and/or to keep him so busy and ensure complete emotional, mental, physical, financial exhaustion. Such acts constitute constructive dismissal, as case studies have proven.
“All the above witch-hunt is due to the councillor addressing the underlying injustices, including but not limited to the misuse of company resources, the mushrooming of the contractor system while there are permanent employee(s) who can conduct the work at no additional cost, the unfair treatment of employees, and the unfair recruitment processes, which show no diversification, the unfair self-imposed, lucrative bonuses granted to managers compared to the bargaining units, and tax evasion by the company, the company placing employees under severe pressure by passing tax liabilities of Namdeb onto the employees, and running an illegal housing estate,” the petition charged. It also stated that since Namdeb has decided not to respond to all the above, the LPM reiterates and urges the entity to provide it with substantiated facts rather than responding by stating that “we are appalled by the serious, unsubstantiated allegations against Namdeb and its functionaries, which are aimed at casting negative aspersions on the image of Namdeb”.
“If these are unsubstantiated allegations and if they are so untrue, do us the honour and provide facts to prove your innocence as we are ever ready to be challenged in a competent court to furnish our side of the story,” the petitioners continued. They furthermore demanded from Burger, chief operations officer Jurgen Jacobs and 12 other senior management members to resign within 24 hours, as per CR Number: 10/092023, for the alleged violation of the Diamond Act 1999, (Act 13 of 1999) Section 52 sub-section 2, for entering a restricted area without a valid Section 27 (k) permit (restricted area permit) at the Blok 3 area.
Namdeb, in its response to the LPM’s demands, reiterated that its position remained unchanged that “Namdeb is appalled by the serious unsubstantiated allegations against it and its functionaries, which are aimed at casting negative aspersions on the image of Namdeb and if these are unsubstantiated allegations and if they are so untrue, do us the honour and provide facts to prove your innocence, as we are ever ready to be challenged in a competent court, to furnish our side of the story”.
The company further said if the petitioners believe the diamond mining giant has contravened any law, they should use available remedies provided for by legislation.
“Namdeb reserves all its rights to the fullest extent provided by law.”