Stefanus Nashama
Former Minister of Industrialization, Trade and SME Development, Tjekero Tweya said there was a general lack of coordination between the concerned ministries, fishing companies and the affected workers that resulted in the mass resignation of fishermen.
Tweya presented the report to the Parliamentary Selection Committee of the National Assembly on the Mass resignation of fishermen employed under the Government Redressing Program in Walvis Bay from 1 to 5 November 2022.
Tweya stated that lack of coordination could be perceived as the reason for the inability and inefficiency to address the challenges encountered in the implementation process of the designation agreement that guided the work of fishing companies.
“This lack of proper coordination had the potential to cause negative consequences to the government, fishing industry and the workers,” he said.
Tweya further said monitoring Mechanisms to ensure compliance with the designated agreement were also lacking.
The Government has designated agreements with fishing companies such as Hangana Sea Food and Merlus Fishing companies, but why mass resignation of fishermen only occurred from the five companies, he questioned.The Former Minister stressed that the findings in the report reflect the real matters found on the ground and the recommendation are therefore based on the findings.
He has since urged that there is a need to arrest demeaning such incidences, adding that the future beneficiaries of government objective quotas must show real intention to assist the Government in programmes aimed at improving the livelihood of its citizens, and the affected fishermen in this case.
In response to the report, the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Derek Klazen said any job loss or gross dissatisfaction among workers employed under the Government Redressing Program remains a serious concern of the Ministry.
He further said the Ministry remains sympathetically aware of all the socio-economic hardships that such losses and unhappiness.
In 2020, the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources ran an open public calling on experienced and competent fishing companies to re-employ fishermen who lost their jobs as a result of NamSov retrenchments and those who took part in ill-fated industry strikes.
Extensive consultations were also made with all recognized labour unions during the renegotiation to employ the fishermen, the Minister stated.
Fishermen were part of a group which spent years near the Kuisebmond Stadium after losing their jobs in 2015 and 2018 due to striking illegally and slashed quotas.
Some fishermen were employed under that ‘designation agreement’ reached between the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation, Cavema Fishing, a joint venture between Camoposato Investments (Pty) Ltd, Vernier Investments (Pty) Ltd, and Rainbow Fishing.
The fishermen were concerned about being paid N$4 000 monthly allowances while sitting at home.
The fishermen were also misled by some companies who promised to provide them with employment and better salaries.
The resignation of the fishermen came to light in a letter addressed to the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, dated 29 August 2022, and signed by their representative, Fillip Shimwooshili.
“Herewith our fishermen’s resignation, 223 signatures in total, to the applicable companies,” the read. It was not clear whether the resignation was with immediate effect as no period was provided.
Lists with employee signatures were attached to the joint resignation letters.
