Hundreds of factory workers of the Omualu Fishing Processors Company staged a demonstration over the alleged failure of management to pay them bonuses and increase leave days as promised.

The employees are accusing the company of not paying them annual bonuses but instead giving them donations while they are suffering.

The workers are also demanding that they be given two weeks' leave as the company does not close during October like other wet fishing processing companies.

However, they say the four days of leave given to them are not enough, as they have to travel long distances to see their families.

The employees also accused the company of failing to provide them with protective clothing, thereby putting their health and safety at risk.

"We will no longer continue to work in a dangerous environment. Our health and well-being must come before anything. We are also here to notify the company in terms of the Labor Act if the company continues to fail to address an issue related to our health or fails to provide us with proper protective clothing," said shop steward Beata Shivolo.

Paulus Hango, the president of the Namibia Seaman and Allied Workers Union, added: "This company relies on the production from other companies; the problem that they have is that while the other companies close in October, they continue working on frozen fish and other products, and as a result, the workers do not have enough rest and want to rest."

The petition was handed over to the Human Resources Manager, Beatha Muandingi, who promised to forward it to the relevant authorities.