Namibia Berries denies claims of empty job promises
Workers only paid N$12 an hour
Namibia Berries has poured cold water over claims that it has not kept its promises to residents in the area.
Namibia Berries, a blueberry farm in the Kavango East Region, has refuted allegations from residents that the company failed to fulfil a commitment to recruit hundreds of workers and invest in the Divundu community.
Residents said the company did not deliver on its promise to provide more job opportunities, adding that the farm had committed to hiring over 400 workers.
A resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Namibian Sun that the situation is dire for those currently employed at the farm. "The sad part is that the people who are harvesting have to work the next day immediately after harvesting. They promised to recruit 250 temporary workers for the harvest, but when you visit, there aren't even 100 people working," they said.
"Things aren't aligning with what they promised. They haven't fulfilled even 60% of their commitments. When this project was introduced, the councillor assured us they would build a school, provide electricity and pay workers N$25 per hour. But instead, workers are only getting N$12 per hour. In this economy, earning N$2 000 a month doesn’t change your life, despite claims to the contrary," he added.
Another resident claimed that the company pledged to upgrade a kindergarten and fund the project. "We haven't received that money yet. The kindergarten in Ndoongo was supposed to be promoted to a pre-primary school with N$500 000 in funding, but the funds have not materialised. The village council also promised that people would be relocated to better living conditions, but nothing has happened so far," they said.
‘Fair and competitive’
In response, Namibia Berries' director for environmental and social governance and investor relations Michèle James dismissed the allegations, clarifying that the farm never promised to pay workers N$25 per hour.
"We currently pay our permanent workers N$12 per hour, double the legislated minimum wage for the agricultural sector. This rate reflects our commitment to fair and competitive compensation within the industry," she said.
Addressing the recruitment concerns, James added: "It's important to note that during our last community meeting, we estimated needing around 300 pickers for the harvest season, not 400. The recruitment process for these 300 pickers began in May in anticipation of the harvest starting in July. While we initially projected this number based on expected yields, external factors - particularly weather-related conditions - have affected the pace of the harvest”.
“As a result, we currently have 250 trained seasonal pickers on the farm and 72 permanent staff. The remaining positions will be filled as the harvest volume increases to ensure efficient and timely fruit picking,” she added.
On the upgrade of the local kindergarten, James clarified that the project is scheduled for 2025.
"This timeline aligns with our commitments to the community, based on the agreement we have with the Divundu Village Council, which owns the land we are leasing. We remain dedicated to fulfilling all our commitments as part of our long-term partnership with the community.”
[email protected]
Residents said the company did not deliver on its promise to provide more job opportunities, adding that the farm had committed to hiring over 400 workers.
A resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Namibian Sun that the situation is dire for those currently employed at the farm. "The sad part is that the people who are harvesting have to work the next day immediately after harvesting. They promised to recruit 250 temporary workers for the harvest, but when you visit, there aren't even 100 people working," they said.
"Things aren't aligning with what they promised. They haven't fulfilled even 60% of their commitments. When this project was introduced, the councillor assured us they would build a school, provide electricity and pay workers N$25 per hour. But instead, workers are only getting N$12 per hour. In this economy, earning N$2 000 a month doesn’t change your life, despite claims to the contrary," he added.
Another resident claimed that the company pledged to upgrade a kindergarten and fund the project. "We haven't received that money yet. The kindergarten in Ndoongo was supposed to be promoted to a pre-primary school with N$500 000 in funding, but the funds have not materialised. The village council also promised that people would be relocated to better living conditions, but nothing has happened so far," they said.
‘Fair and competitive’
In response, Namibia Berries' director for environmental and social governance and investor relations Michèle James dismissed the allegations, clarifying that the farm never promised to pay workers N$25 per hour.
"We currently pay our permanent workers N$12 per hour, double the legislated minimum wage for the agricultural sector. This rate reflects our commitment to fair and competitive compensation within the industry," she said.
Addressing the recruitment concerns, James added: "It's important to note that during our last community meeting, we estimated needing around 300 pickers for the harvest season, not 400. The recruitment process for these 300 pickers began in May in anticipation of the harvest starting in July. While we initially projected this number based on expected yields, external factors - particularly weather-related conditions - have affected the pace of the harvest”.
“As a result, we currently have 250 trained seasonal pickers on the farm and 72 permanent staff. The remaining positions will be filled as the harvest volume increases to ensure efficient and timely fruit picking,” she added.
On the upgrade of the local kindergarten, James clarified that the project is scheduled for 2025.
"This timeline aligns with our commitments to the community, based on the agreement we have with the Divundu Village Council, which owns the land we are leasing. We remain dedicated to fulfilling all our commitments as part of our long-term partnership with the community.”
[email protected]
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article