Former Air Namibia employees petitioned the Supreme Court yesterday, requesting an expedited hearing in a dispute over unpaid severance payments that have been pending for almost five years, following the airline's liquidation.

Spokesperson for the former employees Renier Bougard said he worked for the airline for 23 years. He said employees had previously attained a High Court ruling ordering the recalculation and payment of severance packages.

"We won a High Court case against the liquidators for payment of our severance packages," he said.

Bougard said while some payments had been made, many employees were still waiting for the balance.

According to Bougard, the latest development prompting the petition was the liquidators' appeal against the High Court ruling.

"What brought us here is that the liquidators have filed an appeal to that High Court order for payment, which is their right to do," he said.

He further claimed that one former employee had recently received full payment through a separate process.

Bougard said the employees were requesting that the Supreme Court either allocate an early set-down date or dismiss the appeal.

"... so we can have our day in the Supreme Court and finalise this matter."