Shilimela fires 20 guards

By Confidente Reporter
RENOWNED security firm Shilimela Security Services is accused of gross unfair labour practices after it reportedly dismissed over 20 security guards since January without pay.
Confirming the matter, NamRights senior paralegal officer, Ananias Aipinge said that former security guards from the firm frequent their offices complaining about unfair and mostly verbal dismissals without hearing.
Aipinge explained that despite the seriousness of the matter, it has been difficult to get audience from the firm’s owner Banda Shilimela and his senior officials.
“We have received over 20 cases of unfair dismissals from security officers that worked for Shilimela. We have written letters to get their attention so that we discuss the matter amicably but to no success. In fact one of the firm’s official in Windhoek promised to come to our offices but he never showed up. Another in Ongwediva stopped answering our calls,” Aipinge said.
Aipinge added that most of the guards relayed that they were dismissed verbally, never went through a hearing and that although they were promised to be paid for their services, such promises never materialised.
Aipinge further said that some of the guards have gone as far as the Labour Commissioner’s Office for intervention, but it appears they too could not get to Shilimela.
“Some guards come to NamRights after they’ve already been to the Labour Commissioner’s offices so it’s tricky for us to step in when that office was already informed. The thing is we cannot allow these guards who have families to take care off to suffer like this. We will use the right channels to deal with Shilimela and one of these days we will teach him a very good lesson,” Aipinge said.
Contacted for comment, Shilimela instead accused NamRights’ Executive Director Phil ya Nangolo of being a puppet that is against a company owned by a Swapo member.
“…He is against Shilimela security and he doesn’t like a company owned by a Swapo member. Where are the people that I have fired?” Shilimela quizzed adding, “When Phil sees a company owned by a true Swapo member progressing he is not happy. Tell him that if he is starving there we will not give him a job at Shilimela. He must go back to the Boers. He only wants to hear that people are unemployed, tell him that Shilimela is progressing,” he said.
An unfazed ya Nangolo said that Shilimela attacking him does not solve the problem adding that he is only interested in workers being treated fairly.
“Firstly what does puppet mean? Where is his evidence that he is a Swapo member? Are Swapo members above the law? It is required that even as a Swapo member; he should obey the law and pay his employees. Attacking me does not help him. If he doesn’t pay, we will help his workers with the courts to get him to pay whether he is Swapo or not, from heaven or hell. He must pay and I will make sure he pays.”