NUNW to discuss Nantu affiliation

THE future of the Namibia National Teachers’ Union’s affiliation to the umbrella National Union of Namibian Workers will be known on June 24.

Well-placed union sources confirmed that a central committee meeting of the NUNW was scheduled for June 24 where Nantu leadership’s recent public behaviour will come under the spotlight. Nantu suspended the payment of its membership fees in the aftermath of the union federation’s recent congress.Nantu Secretary General Miriam Hamutenya wrote to NUNW General Secretary Evilastus Kaaronda informing him that her union would no longer pay affiliation fees because of the way its delegates were treated at the NUNW congress.Some of the Nantu and Mineworkers’ Union of Namibia delegates walked out of the congress after repeated attempts to have their proposals heard were shot down and they were relegated to mere spectators.On Monday evening, Nantu President Ndapewa Nghipandulwa featured on the NBC television talk show, Talk of the Nation, lambasting the NUNW and calling for a public apology from the federation’s leadership.”What we know is that they are the ones to apologise.Their behaviour is unacceptable.Once the congress took a decision, it is binding on all of us,” said a leader of a sister union.The NUNW and the MUN rejected the invitation from the NBC to take part in the panel discussion.Nghipandulwa stated on the show that the NUNW constitution clearly stated that affiliates that were not in good standing had no right to vote at the congress or to nominate candidates, yet unions that had not paid their dues had more say than the paid-up unions.When Nantu tried to raise the issue of non-payment of dues, Nghipandulwa said, no attention was paid to it.The same people were the ones who refused to allow suspended acting Secretary General Peter Naholo from being given the floor to address the congress, she noted.”How can someone stand up and grab a microphone from a union leader?” she asked during the discussion.She was referring to an incident in which NUNW General Secretary Evilastus Kaaronda grabbed the microphone from the congress chairperson Risto Kapenda when he tried to call Naholo to the podium to state his side of the story.Nantu suspended the payment of its membership fees in the aftermath of the union federation’s recent congress.Nantu Secretary General Miriam Hamutenya wrote to NUNW General Secretary Evilastus Kaaronda informing him that her union would no longer pay affiliation fees because of the way its delegates were treated at the NUNW congress.Some of the Nantu and Mineworkers’ Union of Namibia delegates walked out of the congress after repeated attempts to have their proposals heard were shot down and they were relegated to mere spectators.On Monday evening, Nantu President Ndapewa Nghipandulwa featured on the NBC television talk show, Talk of the Nation, lambasting the NUNW and calling for a public apology from the federation’s leadership.”What we know is that they are the ones to apologise.Their behaviour is unacceptable.Once the congress took a decision, it is binding on all of us,” said a leader of a sister union.The NUNW and the MUN rejected the invitation from the NBC to take part in the panel discussion.Nghipandulwa stated on the show that the NUNW constitution clearly stated that affiliates that were not in good standing had no right to vote at the congress or to nominate candidates, yet unions that had not paid their dues had more say than the paid-up unions.When Nantu tried to raise the issue of non-payment of dues, Nghipandulwa said, no attention was paid to it.The same people were the ones who refused to allow suspended acting Secretary General Peter Naholo from being given the floor to address the congress, she noted.”How can someone stand up and grab a microphone from a union leader?” she asked during the discussion.She was referring to an incident in which NUNW General Secretary Evilastus Kaaronda grabbed the microphone from the congress chairperson Risto Kapenda when he tried to call Naholo to the podium to state his side of the story.