Namibia: Air Namibia Staff Throw in Towel Over Liquidation

About 636 employees of Air Namibia whose fate is most likely to be finally sealed by the High Court on Friday have finally accepted the national carrier's fate.

In a statement Namibia Cabin Crew representative Reginald Kock said they were disheartened and dejected that their fight to save the airline is finally crumbling.

He mentioned several of the employees' gripes.

"Firstly, the indignity and inconsiderate manner in which the affected employees were given the news, secondly, consultations that were found wanting, and due processes that were flouted advertently or inadvertently, and thirdly, the general collective cluelessness to justify liquidation when prompted by opposition members in parliament, some even intellectually stooping low as to blame apartheid, " he said.

Kock said: "The general collective cluelessness and negligence in handling the liquidation process could not be any clearer when Sisa Namandje moved in on an oversight, particularly, deregistration papers that could not be processed in the absence of board members and attached the company's assets when it defaulted on the first payment."

He said they feel the decision was made without consulting them.

"Whether liquidation was the right move is neither here nor there at this juncture, but what is clear is that Cabinet decided to forge ahead with the liquidation process. It is clear that there was a strong conviction to close down the company from as early as last year by any means, even going as far as lying that unions were informed about the decision to liquidate in July/August last year and/or they should have known. But we are not surprised because some are convincing and unrehabilitated spin doctors," he said.

This article originally appeared on Namibian

Photo: Namibian