Windhoek
Hundreds of teachers in the Khomas Region, who are affiliated to the Namibia National Teachers’ Union (Nantu) voted yesterday whether to go on strike after government failed to agree to their demand for an 8 percent salary increase.
Although the voting process did not start on time, learning and teaching time was not affected, as educators here went to the polls after 13h00. The voting process includes all teachers, heads of department, school principals and inspectors of education.
New Era visited some fixed polling stations in Windhoek, where teachers could be seen calmly seated – although eager to cast their votes. All 11 polling stations in Khomas Region, five of which are fixed and six mobile, had election observers from both the government and Nantu.
Even though the Teachers’ Union of Namibia (TUN) is in full support of the teachers, they did not have election observers present. Unlike any other election processes, there was also no police presence at any of the polling stations.
Teachers were seen turning up in large numbers at polling stations New Era visited.
This reporter spoke to Khomas Nantu secretary general for information Paavo Shapata, stationed at El Dorado High School, regarding the voting process. He said the voting process was slightly delayed, as government officials took long to verify the ballot papers.
“We started at 15h00. There was a two-hour delay, because government wanted to verify ballot papers one by one, which took long. The teachers did not back down because of these delaying tactics. They stayed put and as you can see, they are casting their votes.”
“There were no other hiccups experienced. It’s only the government conditions making our voting process difficult,” he said.
One agitated teacher, Lazarus Makili, expressed his happiness over the voting exercise.
“We’re professionals. We’re shaping this country, so government is supposed to take us seriously… We want to show them that we’re not happy. We want to tell them that we’re the ones who are improving the economy of this country. We produce doctors, lawyers – even themselves as politicians went through our hands,” he remarked while waiting to cast his vote.
He went on to say: “Government should not play games and say that there is no money in the coffers. We’re just asking for a mere 8 percent to buy bread. We’re not asking a lot of money to buy BMWs.”
Meanwhile, Primah Samupwa, a government observer stationed at Immanuel Shifidi High School, rubbished allegations that they delayed the voting process.
Instead, she shifted the blame onto Nantu for showing up late.
She said they did not observe any violence or intimidation among voters, although she found it curious that no police officers were present. “People are calm. They’re turning up in big numbers,” she said.
Teacher Carley Batubaja, who also came to cast his vote, said he is glad to have exercised his democratic right, saying teachers’ working conditions are not conducive. “Our salaries are not market-related. Inflation is 7.2 percent. How do you give a five percent increase?” he asked.
He also laughed off threats that the “no work, no pay” policy will apply to teachers who go on strike.
“Our procedure is constitutional, unlike the 2012 strike when we were told that we did not follow conflict resolution procedures, as per the Labour Act. This time we followed the law up to the referendum. We should not be intimidated.
“If they could have built the new parliament, where would the funds have come from? The six percent they gave themselves – where did the funds come from? Is it just when it comes to teachers’ plight that there is no money because of the drought?” he asked.
The voting process ends today in the Khomas Region and then moves to other regions. Each region has been allocated two days for teachers to vote. In the Khomas Region, counting of the election results starts today after polls close at 18h00.