At least four employees of a Chinese A-Ming Clothing shop at Divundu in the Kavango East Region claim to have been unfairly fired from work.

Employees said they were fired without warning.

The employees at the A-Ming shop have been at home for a week now, saying they still do not know why they were fired.

The employees stated that despite the long hours and alleged bad working conditions, they still want their jobs back. 

Rosvitha Dinyando, one of the employees and shop manager, says the N$1,000 they received monthly made a difference in their lives. 

Dinyando says they work 11 hours a day, and they are not allowed to go for lunch or take a day off.

She says apart from working in the shop, they also used to do domestic work at the employer's house, which they were not happy with. 

Aron Mundanya, a youth activist, stated that when he heard of the matter, he asked the employees to collect evidence, which they could use as proof.

‘’We gave evidence on how the Chinese are treating their workers, and we went to the police station. We informed them about the matter. The other ladies gave us a tip about the evidence we wanted to collect. We went to the police station to have someone escort us to collect that evidence, but what we got at the charge office was that we must wait for the station commander.’’ 

Contacted for comment, the owner of the shop, Huang Suming, who runs two shops, claimed that the workers were fired because they stole from the shop. 

She, however, admitted that she uses the workers to do her domestic work.

‘’I don't have time to clean the house, so we spend 30 minutes with all the workers at the shop. Now, the village council said it was fine, only to mop and clean the tables, and that was all they said was okay. They said when I finish, I close the house and I should not leave anyone inside the house.’’
 
Also contacted for comment, Chairperson of the Divundu Village Council Christoph Kupembona denied the allegations.

He says the village council only provides a fitness certificate.