Nust dismisses allegations of unfair labour practice

The Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) has dismissed allegations of unfair labour practices, tribalism, policy manipulation, and maladministration as “vague and embarrassing”.

Nust spokesperson John Haufiku says there is no evidence to support the accusations.

“Nust’s management would like to make it vividly clear that not a single shred of evidence has been adduced to substantiate these claims,” he says.

Haufiku was responding to letters allegedly written by Nust employees, accusing the university of unlawful labour practices.

One of the letters was published anonymously on social media, while another was issued by the Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu).

Haufiku says there was no prior engagement with the union, giving Nust’s management the chance to refute or acknowledge the claims.
“In the absence of any engagement and necessary supporting material, a responsible Nust management refuses to descend as low as to engage on hearsay utterances,” he says.

Haufiku encourages the authors of the letters and any aggrieved individuals to collect evidence and follow due process, giving both parties an equal opportunity to respond.

The accusations come after Napwu issued a letter on Monday, saying Nust has been accused of unfair labour practices, tribalism, policy manipulation and maladministration.

Napwu issued a letter to the chairperson of the council, Florette Nakusera, alleging that Nust’s management has engaged in an unlawful restructuring exercise, among other grievances. Napwu claims the institution-wide restructuring exercise is being conducted in secret, with no stakeholder engagement to date, and that the human resources department has not responded to staff enquiries about the changes.

The letter also alleges that proposed role changes have been implemented for some employees, and that the successive fixed-term contract system in place at Nust is disadvantageous to staff members.

According to Napwu, administrative staff members are exploited under the current arrangement through short contracts of between three and six months, which are renewed consecutively for periods up to four years without permanent employment.

“The institution uses these as a cost-reduction strategy disregarding employees’ welfare,” the letter reads.

The letter also accuses Nust’s council and executive management of failing to provide effective oversight through internal checks and balances consistent with all due processes and procedures.

Napwu claims this lack of oversight has resulted in arbitrary decision-making and practices that undermine the institution’s overall governance framework. Effective governance is a prerequisite for promoting sustainability, and Napwu argues that the vice chancellor has a moral obligation to ensure rules are applied consistently, efficiently, and fairly.

The union calls for transparency and accountability in Nust’s operations, and a review of the institution’s policies to ensure they are fair to all employees.