Patience Makwele
Industries, mines and energy minister Modestus Amutse says his ministry will investigate allegations that curricula vitae (CVs) submitted by unemployed Namibians to a Chinese mining contractor in Karibib were dumped in the open.
The incident involves M15 Mining Contractor, a company contracted by Osino Resources Corporation and has sparked public anger over the handling of personal information belonging to job seekers.
Speaking to the Windhoek Observer on Tuesday evening after reviewing a statement issued by the office of the Erongo governor, Amutse described the matter as unacceptable.
“This cannot be allowed, definitely. We will definitely have to investigate this case because it’s something that we should not tolerate,” Amutse said.
“I am very, very disappointed in the company treating personal information in this way. We cannot have our people being treated this way.”
He said people submit CVs hoping to secure employment opportunities created through mining activities licensed by the government.
“These are resources belonging to the people and the reason we give licences to companies is also to create employment opportunities for our people,” he said.
“But people should not be mishandled.”
Amutse said the matter raises both labour and ethical concerns and indicated that the Ministry of Labour may also become involved.
“This is a two-dimensional issue because there are elements of labour involved and there are also elements of ethics involved. I will alert my colleagues at the Ministry of Labour to investigate to the extent that it relates to labour,” he said.
Earlier this week, the office of the Erongo governor condemned the alleged conduct and described it as disrespectful towards unemployed Namibians.
Erongo governor Nathalia |Goagoses ordered M15 Mining to stop operations temporarily and appear before her office to explain the incident.
“The governor further wishes to clarify that this intervention aims to maintain harmony, mutual respect and constructive relations between communities and companies operating within the Erongo region, while protecting the dignity and opportunities of local residents,” the governor’s office said in a statement.
President of the Namibia National Students Organisation, (Nanso) Dorothea Nangolo, said many Namibians were shocked by the incident but warned that such practices may happen more often than people realise.
“Similar to any other Namibian, we are disappointed by the practice, but it’s also a common practice. It’s just that not many people film themselves doing it,” Nangolo said.
She stated that CVs include sensitive personal information, such as identity documents and qualifications, which employers must manage responsibly.
“When you discard somebody’s CV, you are dealing with somebody’s sensitive personal documents. There is automatically an expectation of confidentiality and respect,” she said.
Labour analyst Herbert Jauch said the incident highlights wider problems with labour oversight and enforcement in Namibia.
“That is a big problem across sectors already, and unfortunately not only with foreign companies but even with some local ones. Some foreign companies come here with an arrogance of saying enforcement mechanisms in Namibia are weak, so they can do whatever they like,” Jauch said.
Jauch said companies handling CVs and personal information have a legal duty to protect that information.
“They are not allowed to dump it in any way and they can actually be sued,” he said.
Efforts to get comment from M15 Mining Contractor were unsuccessful by the time of publication, as phone calls to the company went unanswered.
