Desie Heita
6 October 2008
Windhoek — Refuse removal workers formerly contracted by the Windhoek Municipality locked horns with the city, refusing to comply with a court interdict that instructed them to vacate the entrance of the City of Windhoek head offices.
Before eventually being removed on Friday they had been camping outside municipal offices since Monday morning, when they held a second demonstration demanding employment with the City of Windhoek.
Chief Executive Officer for the City of Windhoek, Niilo Taapopi, approached the High Court for an urgent interdict to have the demonstrators removed.
Initially, the demonstrators refused to accept the court decision and subsequent plea from the City of Windhoek as well as the Namibian Police to vacate the area.
They said they would remain at the doorstep of the City of Windhoek until Taapopi gave them a satisfactory answer.
The former contractors are furious with the city fathers saying the municipality officials duped them into accepting the transfer to private sub-contractors, who are now dismissing them with meagre payout packages after 18 years of employment.
They further say the raw deal from the municipality had their families evicted for not being able to pay rent, while school fees are in arrears and water and electricity bills continue to pile up.
However, Taapopi said the group has never worked for the City of Windhoek.
In court papers, Taapopi reiterated that they were camping at his offices against the advice of their union.
Taapopi also said the demonstrators are making wild allegations and were never employed by the City of Windhoek, and that the City of Windhoek has communicated its responses to them through their union.
The demonstrators said they were prepared to die at the doorstep of the City of Windhoek and would not budge, but they were finally removed last Friday.
The City of Windhoek had availed ablution facilities as well as running water to the demonstrators for their camping duration.
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