Permit delay sends B2Gold workers to streets

Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) general secretary Ebben Zarondo says government officials who act as regulators but also maintain private business interests compromise the regulatory role the state is expected to play in labour matters.

He made these comments following a dispute between Otjikoto Mine employees and B2Gold, which owns and operates the mine.

According to him, labour minister Utoni Nujoma delayed signing a continuous operation and exemption permit, which stipulates working hours.

Workers took issue with his actions, which subsequently led to the suspension of close to 100 employees at the mine.

Nujoma is alleged to have backdated the permit to 1 June 2021, invalidating the actions of workers that were valid at the time in respect of the permit, Zarondo said during a briefing this week.

The employees raised concerns on the handling of the permit through the MUN.

Nujoma’s alleged actions meant the employees transgressed against the company, he added.



Minister invalidated employee concerns

“The minister in his letter to B2Gold Otjikoto Mine backdated the continuous operation permit, meaning that it is done retrospectively and thus invalidated actions of employees that were valid and reasonable at the time. An action that would not be a misconduct at the time will now be construed as a misconduct because of the backdating of the minister’s letter,” he said.

The backdated permit was then used to suspend the 100 mineworkers, the general secretary said.

“Business people who stand to be conflicted in their official functions must not be appointed as public officials and those who find themselves in this conflict must immediately resign from public office and not jeopardise the rights of the Namibian workers because of their interests,” he lamented.

No fair opportunity given

The union claimed it did not get equal and fair opportunity to raise its concerns on the matter.

“The minister went ahead and casted aspersions on the MUN that we declined to take a position on the issue without giving the union the opportunity to air its side of the story,” he said.

Zarondo threatened to bring a legal suit against Nujoma should he not withdraw the permit, and condemned his actions.

“We thereby condemn in the strongest possible terms the actions of the minister and hereby call on him to withdraw the said declaration with an amendment that speaks to the realities on the ground.”