A group of fishermen under the Government Employment Redress Programme in Walvis Bay say they have gone months without pay and are now calling for intervention.

The fishermen held a peaceful demonstration in the harbour town to express their frustrations over what they described as an uncertain and unfair employment process.

The workers say that although they appreciate the government's employment redress programme introduced in 2020 to support unemployed workers, they now find themselves without suitable jobs.

According to the group spokesperson, Snard Heita, the workers were deployed to fishing companies for the 2025 season, but some companies have allegedly failed to provide suitable employment.

"After engagements with your offices, we were divided into four companies: Hangana Seafood, Merlus Cormorant, Mabasen Fishing Company and Ligatum Investment CC. Only Hangana Seafood has provided a favourable offer and employed its allocated fishermen. We are concerned about the allocation process and the suitability of the other companies. We are currently stranded in Walvis Bay without payment for three months, affecting our livelihood. We want to work and not depend on handouts."

The situation, they say, is becoming desperate.

"We are approaching the fourth month without payment, and from the minister's side, they are just quiet. There's no answer," said Heita. "We have families; our children are going to school with hunger, and we are also having rent where we used to stay. As we are now talking, people are chased out of their rented places."

The fishermen are calling for urgent government intervention, including transparency in company allocations and interim financial support.

Representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, as well as Justice and Labour Relations, received the petition.

The group said more than a thousand fishermen across different companies are affected by similar concerns, raising broader questions about fairness in the system.