By: Julia Heita
The Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (Nafau) told the Revolutionary Union to stay away from its activities on Monday.
This comes as, last week, a demonstration by Spar Oshakati employees who Nafau represents took place with Affirmative Repositioning activists seemingly in the driving seat.
Employees were demanding improved working conditions and the removal of an allegedly abusive and racist boss.
Jacob Penda, Nafau’s Secretary-General, said that Namibian workers must differentiate issues of labour and politics to exercise their constitutional rights accordingly.
“Any activity related to NAFAU are aligned to specific objectives and endorsed by the general secretary,” said Penda.
The demonstration by Spar employees in Oshakati was organized by NAFAU last week.
“Nafau spearheaded the peaceful demonstration against Spar to put an end to exploitations, ill-treatments and intimidations of workers. Nafau has neither collaborated nor invited AR to the demonstration,” he said.
Penda added that Nafau serves all workers’ rights and interests equally.
“We fight for workers bread and butter at the union level and not dealing with politics.”
He further stressed that the members belong to different political parties, and no member exercised political colours during the demonstration.
“We will not allow uninvited persons at any event organized by Nafau,” he lauded.
Penda said that AR is political and have nothing to do with Nafau or workers.
The RU, which is yet to be registered, is affiliated with AR.
“You cannot impose yourself if you are not invited. You should wait to be invited. We have a lot of political parties here, and they respect the rights of the workers’ representatives,” he stressed.
AR activist Johannes Johannes said that the arrival of AR in the process was an invitation by the workers.
“The workers are the ones that called us to intervene, knowing that Nafau was fruitless. It was our intervention that caused the management to listen to the employees,” he said.
This comes as Oshana regional commander Rauha Amwele last week Thursday said AR is not registered as a labour movement but is provoking business personalities in the region.
