Demonstration over construction jobs

NEARLY 200 unemployed people staged a peaceful demonstration yesterday to demand jobs at a cement plant under construction outside Otjiwarongo.

The construction of the Whale Rock Cement factory, trading under Cheetah Cement, started in March this year, approximately six kilometres north of Otjiwarongo in the Otjozondjupa region. Mostly men and five women marched to the site where they handed over a petition, saying they can do some of the easier manual labour such as pushing wheelbarrows and mixing concrete – jobs which are allegedly being done by Chinese nationals at the site.

The concerned residents also complained that the locals who are employed at the site as general labourers are paid too little as they allegedly only get N$80 per day, and also do not have safety gear. They gave the company seven working days from Tuesday to respond to their concerns.