About 234 fishermen from the lyaloo Women Investment group at Walvis Bay did not receive their full salaries for August.
The employees were allocated to the company by the government under its Government Employment Redress Programme (Gerp) following Cabinet directives, after being unemployed since 2015.
About 2 483 ex-fishermen were absorbed into the hake and horse mackerel subsectors through the programme.
The lyaloo Women Investment group, a hake quota rights holder, was allocated 1 880 tonnes of hake to create employment for 235 ex-striking fishermen, but is now unable to pay its employees full salaries because of a lack of funds.
The employees were informed of the situation on 21 August.
An agreement was, however, reached to pay them N$2 000 each until the company is able to pay the outstanding amount.
The company also assured the group that they were bailed out by the government with an extra fishing quota to cater for payments until the end of the 2023/24 season.
In a statement released at Walvis Bay on Friday, Okapare fishermen chairman Godfried Kuhanga said the workers were not satisfied.
“Our livelihoods depend on our salaries. The process has affected us very badly,” he said.
The group alerted the minister of fisheries and marine resources Derek Klazen and executive director Anneli Haifene and was assured the company was allocated enough fishing quotas to pay salaries till the end of the fishing season.
Meanwhile, Walu Fishing Investments recently approved the reallocation of 117 fishermen from the group to its company.
The fishermen will be employed soon.
The remaining group, however, said they also want to be reallocated to this company.
“We are serious that we do not want to remain with lyaloo Women Investment Group (Pty) Ltd, since they do not have employment for us. The treatment we received from them is unbearable and unacceptable,” Kuhanga said.
He said the group will be represented by a new union, the Logistics and Chemicals Union of Namibia.
Iyaloo Women Group Investment director Anastasia Helao says significant investment was made in establishing a value-addition factory, but employees refused to work there, demanding to work at sea.
“Employees need to render their services to the company to generate revenue to be able to cater for salaries and other operational costs. As a result, the company has found itself unable to further carry the employees salaries of August untill end of season, due to lack of funds and return on investment made.
“The company appreciates the intervention of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources by allocating us a sustainability quota. The company and employees committee reached an agreement that the outstanding part of the salaries will be paid once a technical partner for the allocated quota is engaged,” she said.
She said each employee was also given a 10kg box of hake.
The company also promised to further engage the media on the matter today.
Klazen has confirmed that the company received additional quotas last week.
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