‘We did not send man with gun to confront Amushelelo’

Rani Group of Companies managing member Ali Dharani says a man filmed in a video clip waving a gun at activist Michael Amushelelo is not known to the company.

“I do not know about the firearm being pointed at Amushelelo and who paid the person that is appearing in that video (posted by Amushelelo on social media). We did not send him,” Dharani says.

The incident happened at Okuryangava Rani Group mini-market as Amushelelo attempted to close the branch yesterday (When he went there again).

In a video which Amushelelo shot, the man can be seen having a confrontation with the activist while carrying a gun.

Amushelelo posted on his social media page yesterday that he opened a case of common assault, assault, damage to property and pointing a firearm against him.

Amushelelo attempted to close the same retailer on Tuesday, following the suspension of 84 employees from Rani Group mini-market at Oshakati last Friday.

Amushelelo demanded that the suspended Rani employees be reinstated while threatening a national closure of the Indian-owned retailers countrywide.

The employees at Oshakati were suspended due to their participation in a demonstration against alleged poor working relations at at the Oshakati Rani branch on 15 December.

“All employees are still suspended and investigations are ongoing with Employees Placement Services of Namibia (EPSN),” Dharani said.

According to Dharani, protests are a given right of every Namibian, however, the manner through which they went about the protest is what is being looked into.

Amushelelo was met by an unknown man at the Okuryangava Rani branch where he wanted to attempt to close the branch. This resulted in the confrontation between the two.

“A case has been registered despite the heavy police presence at the Indian shop of Rani Group, the police have not arrested the individual who pointed a gun at me and had direct intent to shoot me,” Amushelelo said.

He added that a nationwide protest is scheduled to take place tomorrow.

According to Solidarity Union leader Cornelius Nepela, eight Rani employees were reinstated at the Oshakati Rani branch yesterday.

“I sought a meeting with the EPSN management but they refused to see us,” Nepela said.

EPSN owner Gottlieb Ndjendjela told The Namibian yesterday that he did not see any request from the Solidarity Union.

“I am not saying there was no request made, I am saying I did not see it. Maybe they sent it to Rani Group,” Ndjendjela said.

He said eight of the suspended employees from Oshakati were reinstated because they were allegedly on leave on the day of the protest.

“We think it’s wise for us to withdraw their suspension because they were on off days. We withdrew the suspensions ourselves. No pressure from anyone,” he said.

Ndjendjela claimed that some of those still on suspension forged the attendance register on Friday, while some were absent without leave.