Minister of public enterprises Leon Jooste yesterday said he has no intention of resigning from his position.
He said this amid countrywide protests staged yesterday by various unions and organisations, calling for his resignation and for the restructuring of Air Namibia instead of its voluntary liquidation.
Local unions protested in solidarity with the 636 Air Namibia workers and gave the government a week and a half to respond to their demands before taking further action.
The demonstrations took place in several regions, including Khomas, Erongo, Oshana, Oshikoto, //Kharas, Otjozondupa, Omusati, Omaheke, Ohangwena and the Kavango East and Kavango West regions.
Participating unions and organisations included the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), the Swapo Youth League (Spyl), the Namibian Cabin Crew Union (NCCU), the Trade Union Congress of Namibia (Tucna), the Namibia Airline Pilot Association (Napa) and affiliate unions.
The demonstrators handed over petitions to prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, Swapo party secretary general Sophia Shaningwa, secretary to the National Assembly Lydia Kandetu, and a director in the Office of the Prime Minister, Mateus Kaholongo.
‘BETRAYAL OF DUTY’
Jooste yesterday told The Namibian that resigning from his ministerial position would be a betrayal of his duty, integrity and commitment, saying he has no intention to do so.
“I was appointed by the president in line with his constitutional powers. I am convinced that I have exercised my duties to the best of my ability and in line with the collective decision-making principle of the Cabinet, and Cabinet took a collective decision on the matter,” he said.
He said the president is the appointing authority and he will serve at his pleasure until his term lapses or such a time as the president decides to dismiss or move him to another assignment.
ULTIMATUM
NUNW secretary general Job Muniaro yesterday told demonstrators the government would be given this week and the next to respond to their petition before a way forward is crafted to best address the situation.
“We are going to wait for an answer … If we do not get an answer … we will definitely call back the workers and inform them, and then you will give us a mandate of what is next,” he said.
Receiving the petition of Napa and the NCCU on behalf of the government, prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said all petitions would be shared with president Hage Geingob and the Cabinet.
She said she has no doubt that the government would seriously consider the issues raised.
“I want to assure you that the government is concerned about the anxiety you feel, and the anxiety the rest of the Namibians are feeling because of what is happening. The Cabinet will thus do everything in its power to ensure that the interests of our country and our people are protected,” she said.
The petition read: “A proper process of consultations at all the relevant levels should be commenced forthwith with the trade unions representing the employees, which include ultimately constituting a proper mandated parliamentary committee tasked to investigate and to make recommendations to parliament on the issue of the national airline.”
Meanwhile, Shaningwa, who received the NUNW petition at Swapo’s headquarters in Windhoek, said it would be shared with other party members, and that the party would respond in due course.
She encouraged the submission of proposals to make the financially struggling airline work.
“Please submit the proposals you deemed as workable to save the airline from being liquidated to my office so that, together with your petition, I deliver those to the relevant authorities,” she said.
DEMANDS
The various unions also called for Jooste’s resignation, saying he was dishonest when arriving at the current decision.
The NUNW claimed he under-represented and deliberately misdirected the Cabinet.
They said they do not trust Jooste and that he is unfit to hold public office.
“NUNW is aware that there are viable proposals presented to him in order to turn Air Namibia into a profitable entity, which he chose not to present to Cabinet for consideration, including professional reports by experts, which were procured at a cost,” the union’s petition reads.
CHASING CLOUT
The members of parliament in the National Assembly yesterday started debating the demands of the demonstrators.
Minister of finance Iipumbu Shiimi labelled the calls by opposition parties to reverse the liquidation decision “political posturing”.
“Some of the members here privately are telling us for many, many years that we should close Air Namibia, even recently, but now you want to mislead the Namibian nation,” Shiimi said.
Opposition parties yesterday grilled Shiimi and Jooste for the decision to liquidate Air Namibia without consulting parliament or considering other strategic turnaround plans.
“True leadership calls for us to speak truth to our conviction. If we really believe in something, we must speak publicly for it,” Shiimi said.
INTERNATIONAL REACTION
Meanwhile, international aviation unions and associations called on the government to find an amicable restructuring plan for Air Namibia before voluntarily liquidating the airline. A total of 11 international associations, including Napa, addressed letters to Jooste to reconsider the decision to liquidate and rather opt for restructuring.
Some of these associations are calling on the government to consider turnaround strategy proposals drafted over the years.
The Canadian Air Line Pilots Association, International (Alpa) suggested that Jooste find an appropriate and properly supported restructuring plan that engages recognised aviation restructuring professionals and contemplates all possible avenues.
The association, however, said if the government opts for liquidation, it should be done through legislation, and that any successor of Air Namibia must respect and implement the current Napa collective agreement.
The Airline Pilots’ Association South Africa said if Jooste continues with liquidation he should ensure that any successor employs Air Namibia’s current employees.
The Mexican Pilots’ Association told Jooste employees cannot be blamed for the downfall of the national carrier, but it rather falls on the government and the management and board of Air Namibia.
The Kenyan aviation union concurred saying the problem is unqualified leadership and the interference of varied political interests.