Windhoek
The dispute over the leadership of the Namibia Fuel and Allied Workers Union (NAFAWU) and Namibia Security Guard and Watchmen Union (NASGWU) is history after the Trade Unions Congress of Namibia (TUCNA) national executive council endorsed new leadership.
On Tuesday, the national executive council of TUCNA – the highest authority of TUCNA – endorsed Kavinda Faustinus as president of NASGWU and Selma Sheetekela as president of NAFAWU. Elvis Muituti was endorsed as vice president of NASGWU and Joshua Shooya as vice president of NAFAWU while Hausiku Andreas will from now on serve as secretary general of NASGWU and Felix Machenje as secretary general of NAFAWU.
“I further want to inform everybody, especially members of the union that now they have their own leadership which they have elected themselves and if they have any problems they can contact both TUCNA and their new leadership,” said Paulus Hango, the president of TUCNA.
TUCNA initiated an investigation last month to authenticate the leadership status of NAFAWU and NASGWU, as there were controversies as to who were the legitimate leaders of the two unions.
This came hot on the heels of the ousting of the secretary general of both NASGWU and NAFAWU David Frans who complained to TUCNA expressing his dissatisfaction on the irregularities in which the new leadership replaced him and other union leaders.
Frans had argued that some of the executive members elected were not union members, which he said contravened the unions’ constitution, adding that those who were union members were not elected by the union and that he, as secretary general, was not informed about the congress to elect the new leadership labelling it as not being genuine.
Frans’ fate was, however, sealed on Tuesday by Hango, who stated that Frans has been found guilty on numerous counts of irregularities and that he could not be spared, adding that Frans had allegedly decided not to attend congress meeting.
A week ago, Frans signalled his union’s disaffiliation from TUCNA after a meeting with NASGWU.
“He failed to attend the congress meeting where union members had to elect new executives and he (Frans) didn’t turn up, what could we have done in that regard? The congress went ahead as scheduled. The investigation thus found the new executives as genuine and ready to be endorsed,” stated Hango.
The investigation, which consisted of five bodies from different union affiliates chaired by Victor Hamunyela, further established that Frans was stubborn and unco-operative during disputes and that he used to refuse when called by the council so that he could state his side of the story.
“Such kind of person what do you [do] with him? He files a complaint but when he is called in he doesn’t show up,” stated Hamunyela. Furthermore, Frans was found guilty on allegations involving the alleged fraud of N$130 000, which was supposed to be paid last year to union members.
Hamunyela said, according to their investigation, “75 percent of union members were not paid and have not been paid up to date, though a court instructed Frans to pay all the 54 employees but he only paid a few of them, thus raising questions on where the money is.”
However, Frans responded saying he was not given a chance to appeal or explain himself on Tuesday when he was informed of the council’s decision.
“It was not fair the way they did their things, it is like sending you to jail without appearing in court. How can they just impose their decision on me without being given a chance?” questioned the aggrieved Frans.
Meanwhile, Mahongoro Kavihuha, the secretary general for TUCNA, said they operated within TUCNA’s, and both unions’, constitutions, however “we will soon review and amend the constitution so that we can eliminate the fraudulent cockroaches in future”.