WALVIS BAY – About 30 employees of Dreamland Investment, the granite and marble mining company in Erongo will be retrenched after the company halted production at its three quarries.
The human resource manager of Dreamland Investment, Florina Wiese notified the Mine Workers Union of Namibia (MUN) on Tuesday about the latest development. 

Ironically, MUN visited the quarries last week and it highlighted the appalling living and the poor conditions of service of Namibian workers when compared to their Chinese counterparts.

However, the company in a letter addressed to the union cited production of granite and marble had to be stopped due to the worldwide economic crisis as that affects export to their Chinese and European clients due to the Covid-19 virus.

This, according to Wiese, caused a decrease in demand for their products, resulting in the retrenchment.
“This was not an easy decision for management to make and we hope that it is only a temporary situation,” Wiese stated in the letter seen by New Era on Wednesday.

She says, production at Ewe Mining and Ekungungu quarries was temporarily halted in December 2019, while three quarries at Karibib temporary stopped production in January. 
The company employs about 100 Namibians in total.

“Employees are expected to receive their notices of retrenchment in writing on 15 March. We will also notify the Ministry of Mines and Energy as well as the ministry of labour,” stated Wiese.
MUN western regional coordinator Phillepus Ampweya yesterday told New Era they would protect the interests of their members.

He however questioned the retrenchment letter as it is unsigned and also came after his visit to the quarries last week, whereby he demanded for better working conditions for the employees.
“I think this was indeed an emotional decision as no one raised the issue of retrenchment last week when we were there,” he said. 
- edeklerk@nepc.com.na