Martin Shipanga, the owner of Ondangwa-based radio station Shipi FM, has denied claims that one of the station’s long-serving employees has been dismissed.
Shipanga yesterday said radio DJ and presenter Gustaf Sheehama has been retrenched as per Section 34 of the Labour Act.
Sheehama and seven colleagues are accusing Shipanga of firing him for no reason on Wednesday morning.
The seven colleagues, all presenters, went on strike yesterday morning, demanding Sheehama’s reinstatement.
They said if Sheehama’s alleged dismissal is not revoked, they would not return to work.
Sheehama presented a morning show called ‘Penduka no Shipi’, and a Sunday show called ‘Ongendjo Tayi Tono’.
“. . . our grounds for retrenchment are based on the premises of a restructuring process for Shipanga Holdings,” Shipanga said.
“Mr Sheehama received a 30-day notice of retrenchment . . . we further informed him that he doesn’t have to report to work during this notice period.
“However, he will be paid his salary and all severance payments due to him,” Shipanga said.
He said it appears that Sheehama misinterpreted his retrenchment as a dismissal.
Shipanga said Sheehama indicated to the company’s head office in Windhoek that he would comply with the request and as such he would report to work the next morning.
Yesterday, Shipanga said, Sheehama showed up at work and led a gathering of employees at Shipi FM.
He said during the demonstration, data systems and studio equipment were damaged.
Shipanga said he was not aware of any official strike by Shipi FM employees.
“ . . . no notice was given to that effect, so . . . I will therefore not call it a strike,” he said.
He said Shipanga Holdings would take legal action against “any character that is determined to bring the name of Shipi FM in disrepute”.
Shipanga Holdings issued a notice of retrenchment to the Office of the Labour Commissioner on 23 March this year, saying due to unfavourable economic conditions in the country, employees of its subsidiaries, such as Tusk Investments, Shipanga Medical Services and Shipi FM may lose their jobs.
“The company plans to finalise this process by not later than 31 December 2023,” the company’s human resources officer, Eva Liisa Kanyemba wrote.
BETTER SALARIES DEMANDED
On Monday this week, presenters who claim they earn between N$2 500 and N$4 500 per month, wrote to Shipanga demanding an increment of N$2 000.
“Despite working so hard to uplift Shipi FM, there is a lack of motivation, and we feel devalued,” they wrote.
They said they are forced to buy Shipi FM apparel, and they will no longer tolerate “unfair dismissals”.
Subsequent to Sheehama’s ‘dismissal,’ some radio presenters wrote to Shipanga saying they were shocked and saddened by the events.
“ If DJ Gee is not reinstated, we might as well all be dismissed,” they wrote.
Sheehama yesterday said he does not understand why he has been “fired”.
He said when he went to work on Wednesday, and found police officers guarding Sun Square Mall, where Shipi FM is housed.
He claimed the police officers told him not to enter the building.
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