Windhoek: The Namibian Revolutionary Transport Union (NARETU) has issued a warning that the ongoing strike at Namib Mills could lead to a national food crisis if not resolved promptly, as the industrial action has now entered its 16th day. According to Namibia Press Agency, NARETU Chief-in-Command Petersen Kambanda addressed the media in the capital, highlighting that the strike stems from persistent wage disparities and the company's reluctance to address historical salary imbalances among employees. Kambanda noted that workers performing similar duties are paid significantly different salaries, with some more recent hires earning approximately N.dollars 1,300 more than long-serving staff members. Kambanda criticized the company's claim of wanting to align salaries, arguing that it fails to correct past mistakes. He emphasized that the union will not accept any offer that continues to disadvantage its members. He further warned of the strike's potential impact on households nationwide, as Namib Mills is a major supplier of staple food products to Namibian households, hospitals, schools, and the Namibian Defence Force. He explained that the prolonged strike could lead to a crisis, with stock levels depleting daily, and predicted that empty shelves in stores would become evident by the end of the week. Kambanda advised the public to purchase sufficient food supplies while stocks last, as production has been disrupted for over two weeks. Kambanda accused Namib Mills of trying to demoralize striking workers by issuing partial salaries, with some employees receiving as little as N.dollars 46, N.dollars 26, and N.dollars 12 in their bank accounts last week. Despite these challenges, he asserted that workers remain determined to continue the strike until a fair settlement is reached. He stated that the industrial action would persist for as long as necessary, declaring, "This industrial action will continue irrespective of whether it takes one month, two months or three months. We will not return to work until the problem is resolved." Kambanda also accused the company of advertising positions held by striking employees, seeing it as an attempt to intimidate workers and undermine the strike. He emphasized, "We are not living in the Republic of Namib Mills. This is the Republic of Namibia, and the law is clear that you cannot recruit replacement workers during a protected strike." Furthermore, Kambanda criticized the Ministry of Labour for its lack of intervention and urged the labour minister to urgently bring all parties together to resolve the deadlock.