Stefanus Nashama
Michael Amushelelo, the Commissar of the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) has called on workers to mobilise and unite in mass protest action and even threatened to shut down business activities of the Rani Group countrywide.
This follows after the Oshakati-based Rani Group suspended more than 100 employees, who last week participated in a peaceful protest. The protest action was aimed at ending the contract labour hire system still utilised by the business.
Amushelelo demanded the immediate reinstatement of the suspended workers and set a deadline for the return of the workers for mid-day yesterday or else the company will suffer the consequences of having their shops closed down across the country.
“We will no longer tolerate workers being abused and exploited by foreigners in our own country. You have until tomorrow morning to fix this mess before you start losing millions. Failure to do this will result in a national shutdown of all your shops,” he threatened.
In an interview with Windhoek Observer yesterday, Amushelelo said the suspension of the said workers is disguised as dismissal.
“The Rani Group should do their nonsense in India, not in Namibia,” he stated.
He further claimed that Rani Group management thinks they are untouchable because they are affiliated with politicians who turn a blind eye to the cries of the masses.
He said this can no longer be tolerated in an independent Namibia.
“We are tired of their nonsense,” he added.
According to Amushelelo, he has communicated with the bosses of Rani Group in Oshakati via social media and he is still waiting for their response.
While giving a shutdown warning to Rani Group, he shut down one of their shops in Windhoek yesterday and said it was only a prelude to the call for a national shutdown.
Amushelelo expressed disappointment with the way the Rani Group treated the workers for fighting the system that continues to exploit employees in their own country.
