Namibians deserve underpayment, they are lazy – Chinese manager

Written by Patience Nyangove
Thursday, 29 October 2009

A Chinese manager with Jiangsu Zhengtai Construction Group operating in the country says Namibians are lazy and they do not deserve to be paid highly.

“They cannot sustain the production level we want and are not experienced,” David Wang whose company has several construction jobs said yesterday.

According to copies of agreements Wang’s company availed to Informanté, they are underpaying workers by about N$45 per day.

The agreements show that the workers are paid N$25 per day working nine hours for five and half days per week. This is far less than the N$72 per day stipulated by Government.

Namibia’s minimum hourly rate is N$9,30 but Zhengtai Construction Group and several other Chinese companies pay N$2,78 per hour.

Apart from underpayment, most Chinese companies have been accused of ignoring safety measures at work by failing to provide protective clothes such as overalls, safety belts and shoes as well as helmets.

The Chinese have also been allegedly firing workers who would have joined trade unions to enable them to effectively collectively bargain for better wages.

Workers employed by Chinese companies say they are being denied access to loans, training schemes and employment schemes and disability pension.

It is also alleged they do not have valid Affirmative Action Compliance Certificates in breach of the Affirmative Action (Employment) Act of 1998.

Chinese businesses are allegedly breaching six Namibian laws that include the Labour Act: Act 6 of 1992, the Labour Act: Act 11 of 2007, the Collective Agreement, the Social Security Act, the Affirmative Action (Employment) Act 29 of 1998; the Foreign Investment Act, Act 24 of 1993 and in the process the Foreign Investment Act, Act 24 of 1993.

General secretary of the Metal and Allied Workers Union (Manwu) Bernard Milinga accused Chinese contractors of deliberately refusing to adhere to the country’s laws.

“But to our surprise they are the ones who are getting the tenders,” Milinga said.

He also said the majority of workers employed by the Chinese contractors are not registered with the Namibian Building Workers Pension Fund despite Government in a 1990 ruling that all workers in the construction industry must be registered with the pension fund.

“We are trying to engage Government, however the answer we got from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs we are not happy with it. They say we should go with our grievances to the Ministry of Labour and yet they are the ones facilitating these people to get work permits without first meeting the country’s laws.

“The Government should also involve us in the Tender Board so that we ensure they meet conditions that benefit the Namibian worker otherwise we are sitting on a burden. I have never heard of any worker being trained by the Chinese, the Affirmative Action law is only on paper.”

Labour Resource and Research Institute, Senior Researcher Herbert Jauch confirmed that the Chinese were breaking the country’s laws with the Government doing nothing about it.

“The Government must step up its oversight function and monitor what is happening at those companies. When laws are violated these companies should be severely punished,” he said.

Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Petrus Iilonga said while Chinese are not angels, they were not any worse than other local contractors.

Iilonga accused some white owned construction companies of embarking on a campaign to discredit the Chinese when they were also breaking the same Namibian laws.

He also blamed the Namibian workers for allowing the Chinese to underpay and ill-treat them by not being united amongst themselves.

“If you find that you are not being given money you want, why are you continuing to work? They should stop going to work and those Chinese will change. Workers are also not organised. They must not just complain without taking action.”