Walvis Bay: Fishermen under the Government Employment Redress Programme (GERP) are demanding urgent reforms to the fishing quota system, claiming continued exploitation, lack of employment, and broken promises by both Government and partner companies. A meeting held here on Wednesday served as a unifier to end what the fishermen described as systemic injustice in Namibia’s fishing sector.
According to Namibia Press Agency, speakers who shared personal testimonies outlined institutional failures and proposed urgent reforms to restore dignity and employment to thousands of affected fishermen. The crisis dates back to the 2015 mass dismissal of around 2,000 fishermen who staged illegal strikes following corruption in the fishing sector and closure of companies. In the meantime, 82 fishermen reportedly died, with some having committed suicide due to the ordeal.
In response, the government introduced a redressing programme in 2020, allocating fishing quotas to companies with the intention of employing these wor
kers. However, many fishermen claim the programme has been poorly implemented, riddled with exploitation, and has left most of them jobless or earning below-subsistence wages. Mining, Metal, Maritime and Construction Workers Union general secretary Joseph Garoeb said the time for rhetorical commitments has passed. ‘We want to speak about principles and solutions, and this meeting is being held to draft a document that tells the government how we will do things. The fishing industry must get a break because workers have suffered for years. The suffering must come to an end,’ he stated.
Garoeb also criticised the absence of effective dialogue between companies and employees, urging business leaders to participate in solutions as opposed to avoiding accountability. Godfried Kuhanga, representing a group of 645 Okapale fishermen initially placed with Cavema Group and Hodago Fishing, described a cycle of reassignment, exploitation, and broken promises spanning four years. ‘After being moved from company to compan
y, we still sit at home. No proper employment, just a basic salary that can’t sustain a living,’ he said.
Kuhanga called for two solutions, namely to either allocate quotas directly to their workers’ association so they can manage their own employment and vessels, or ensure that government-backed companies receive sufficient quota allocation to create jobs. Other fishermen raised concerns about elderly workers being sent home with no retirement benefits.
Julia Mbwiti, a representative of the Merlus fishermen, highlighted systemic breaches of contract, specifically accusing Helgoland Fishing of violating redressing terms by outsourcing employment to a third-party company. ‘That is a breach, Helgoland does not even have a factory, and these workers do not get paid when they are sick. There is no sick leave, pension, transport allowance or proper housing support,’ Mbwiti said. She warned that the government’s inaction risked setting a precedent of impunity, particularly around male-dominated companies perceive
d as politically protected.