WALVIS BAY – Walvis Bay councillors were a no-show on Wednesday when disgruntled employees wanted to hand over grievances to them.
The workers accused councillors of bullying tactics, unnecessary and reckless spending of public funds on lawyers as well as its intention to outsource parks in the town.
Over 200 municipal employees, during a peaceful lunchtime demonstration, lambasted the council and management for the misuse of public funds and a lack of financial prudence, saying the council in the last two years spent over N$600 000 on lawyers and debt collection, despite having a debt collection section within the council.
Backed by the Namibia Public Service Union (Napwu), the workers said this type of alleged maladministration diverts much-needed funds to unnecessary spending, instead of being used properly on basic amenities of the community.
Reading the petition on behalf of the employees, workers union representative chairperson Asser Tjikuniva said they are now calling upon the line ministry to intervene and save the institution and its employees from reckless spending.
According to him, the working environment for the procurement management unit, especially procurement and creditors, has also become unbearable, as they are being bullied for subsistence and travelling allowance without approval.
“They are being forced to release funds for subsistence and travel allowance, while procedures or ministerial approval are not followed. We want this to end, and our union is warning council and management to desist from this practice, as we will not allow our people to be victimised,” he said.
The employees also indicated the council wants to outsource their parks, instead of employing unemployed young people in the town to work in the parks.
They now want the council to speed up the recruitment process of a CEO, saying the current acting CEO lacks leadership skills, and his current consultations with stakeholders show that he chooses to lease some over the expense of the masses.
“The municipality has allowed the acting CEO to perform only duties of the CEO without carrying out his duties, which form the basis of his salary. We, the employees, demand an immediate intervention from the council to rectify this matter, as there are senior manners in the institution that can be appointed as acting,” the workers said.
They also expressed their concern over the grading exercise that has been long overdue, despite a consulting firm being appointed to carry out the process.
The employees gave the council seven days to respond to their grievances.
The mayor, Trevino Forbes, and the chairperson of the management committee, Richard Hoaeb, could not be reached for comment.