Cheetah cement ordered not to operate during the night due to Safety concerns

Staff Reporter

THE Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation has once again ordered Whale Rock Cement PTY LTD (Cheetah Cement) to stop carrying out operational activities at the Mining Area at night, between 18:00 and 06:00, as well as to stop operating a certain forklift.

This order came into effect as from 19 August 2022 until such a time that sufficient light is installed and the forklift is serviced to the satisfaction of a designated Labour Inspector.

This order is barely issued after three months when Whale Rock Cement PTY LTD was ordered by this Ministry to cease its operations at some areas of its Mine due to non-compliance with Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Standards on May 10, 2022. This ultimatum was later withdrawn by the Ministry on May 23, 2022 after the Ministry conducted follow-up inspections and was satisfied with the level of compliance as well as arrangements that were put in place.

Amb. Balbina Daes Pienaar, the Acting Executive Director of the labour ministry shared that after the order to resume with its operation in May 2022, the Ministry has been conducting follow-up inspections to ensure continued compliance with the OSH Standards at the Mine.

Pienaar stated that the Ministry however identified the afore-mentioned shortcomings that lead to the current order. During this period, all affected employers are entitled to full remuneration.

“The issue of occupational safety and health is non-negotiable. Non-compliance with the provisions of OSH put workers at risk, resulting into non-reversible and mostly regrettable consequences which sometimes may even lead to injuries and worse of all fatalities. Employers are once again reminded that it remains their legal duty to ensure that their workplaces are safe at all times,” Pienaar said.

In the meanwhile, the Mine Workers Union of Namibia (MUN) as well as the Cheetah Cement management have noted that the strike by some of the factory’s workers may come to an end soon as they have re-engaged in salary negotiations talks.

Picture for illustrative purposes only.