Windhoek
Bruised and harassed Namibia Premier League (NPL) outfit Orlando Pirates appear to have run out of hiding places in their protracted and widely-publicised wage dispute with eight of the club’s players.
In a strongly worded writ of execution issued by the Labour Court of Namibia, senior labour inspector Liswaniso directed the deputy sheriff for the District of Windhoek to “attach and take into execution the movable goods of FNB Orlando Pirates FC and of the same to cause to be realised by public auction the sum of N$122 000 together with interest thereon at the rate of 20%…”
The writ of execution further ordered the deputy sheriff to also make sure that the club pays all the monies owed to the eight aggrieved players through their lawyer/s including the aforementioned 20% interest rate.
Back in August this year, Namibia Football Players Union (NAFPU) secretary general Olsen Kahiriri was at the forefront of the process when he helped the eight players drag Pirates and its chairman Axab Auchamb to the Labour Court to seek reprieve.
The eight players are Ronaldo Tsowaseb, Valton van Staden, Ivan Makina, Charles Uirab, Stanley Kamesepo, Marcello Horaseb, Riaan Hanamub and Christian Doeseb.
As per figures provided during the first hearing, the players are owed amounts ranging from N$8 000 to N$19 500 – meaning in totality Pirates was expected to fork out about N$122 000 to settle the bill at the time and that’s excluding the interest added by the Labour Court.
Speaking to New Era Sport yesterday, Kahiriri warned that the writ of execution from the senior labour inspector is very clear and that both Pirates and Auchamb should comply with the writ as it is for their own good and within the players’ interest.
“I’m hearing people saying Pirates will escape this writ because they don’t have any movable assets but what people are also forgetting is that Pirates provided the NPL with an office address where they operate from, and that’s where the deputy sheriff will start inspecting.
If the office is not their property, then the deputy sheriff – with the blessings of the Labour Court – will even go as far as getting hold of FNB’s annual grant to the club or even put up Pirates’ league status on auction if Auchamb tries to be funny,” cautioned Kahiriri, who added that they won’t stop at anything to restore justice.