THE Namibia Transport and Allied Workers Union (Natau) has called for the release of an Ernst & Young (EY) forensic investigation report on TransNamib, claiming it contains proof of misconduct by management.
The acting general secretary, Narina Pollmann, on 16 August wrote to the finance minister, Iipumbu Shiimi, asking him to hold TransNamib head Johny Smith and his management accountable for alleged misconduct.
In the letter to Shiimi, which is in the possession of The Namibian, Pollmann said it is time the government, as a shareholder, gets all hands on deck and steer the train back on the rails. "This can be achieved by ensuring everyone, and more specifically the chief executive officer (CEO) and other executives implicated in the EY forensic investigation report, are held accountable for their misconduct timeously," Pollmann stated.
She believes there is a lack of action by the national rail service operator's board that is responsible for ensuring issues on governance and administration oversight are adhered to.
"[This] clearly sends the message that senior management of TransNamib are immune to any form of disciplinary measures.
"The failure and unwillingness of the board to act on the very clear findings and recommendations of the EY forensic investigation report is incomprehensible, and that failure and unwillingness cannot be justified or excused," she argued.
The unionist questioned Shiimi, who is currently the acting public enterprises minister, on the silence around the EY forensic report and called for accountability.
"We are thus calling on your good office to release the full EY forensic investigation report as was announced by the minister of public enterprises in February or March 2022. "Why is this report being iced, and why is the serious misconduct that was discovered not being acted on," she asked the minister.
She further argued that the report should be made public because it was paid for by taxpayers' money for the purpose of eliminating any maladministration or looting from public entities.
The finance ministry spokesperson, Wilson Shikoto, told The Namibian that the public enterprises ministry is currently dealing with the concerns raised in the letter.
TransNamib has opted not to comment on the allegations and the report to the finance ministry.
"This letter is not addressed to us," the spokesperson Abigail Raubenheimer said yesterday.
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OTHER CLAIMS
The union also accuses the management of changing conditions of employment without consultation, as well as not honouring tax and pension obligations but continuing to deduct these dues from the employees. "Although such conduct is against the law, the CEO and his senior managers are not held accountable," she said.
Pollmann specifically referred to Smith and the executives for human capital and properties, Webster Gonzo and Alynsia Platt, respectively.
"Management by fear is what the CEO and his two enabling and protected friends, the executive human capital and the executive properties, are deploying in the company," she said. She labelled these conditions as "unbearably unfair iron fist management" conditions that are demoralising the employees from optimally reaching their full potential.
STRIKE
Currently, TransNamib employees are on strike since most of them voted in favour of the strike two weeks ago.
The strike came after a deadlock in salary negotiations when TransNamib said it does not have funds for the increments.
Natau and TransNamib have now returned to the negotiation table, while the company has warned the union and striking employees against breaching the strike rules.
According to Raubenheimer in a statement last week, the striking TransNamib employees and Natau entered the premises and threatened employees who had not joined the strike.
The union has not responded to these allegations.
