A payment dispute between community workers and a contractor has sparked tensions at Aasvoëlnes in the Tsumkwe Constituency following the completion of an elephant trench project.

The workers claim they completed the work and are now demanding the full payment as agreed upon.

||'Ao Coma Isaak noted that his group was hired by D-Square Trading Enterprises CC as subcontractors to dig a 100-meter section of an elephant trench for N$10,000.
The trench, he stressed is to protect the community garden from elephants.

According to Isaak, the work was regularly inspected by a supervisor and completed according to the agreed specifications.

However, when the work was done, Isaak said they were told that they would only be paid half of the agreed amount.

“From the beginning, we agreed that we would be paid N$10,000. While we were working, the supervisor kept inspecting the trench and asked us to finish quickly. But after we completed the work, we were told we would only receive half of the agreed amount."

Isaak explained that they were asked to complete and fix the work left behind by the previous group or they would only receive five thousand, a decision he says they rejected, and according to him, the initial group allegedly withdrew because of payment disagreements.

Aasvoëlnes Community Development Trust Chairperson Steven Tsama stated that the workers completed the work they had agreed to do and should be paid accordingly.

“As the leaders, we are still pushing for them to get their money. They must get their money according to the agreement that we signed. They must get that N$10,000, and then we see the way forward."

When contacted for comment, D Square Trading Enterprises director David Ileka denied that the workers would only receive half of the agreed payment.

He said payment will be processed only after the project has been inspected and officially handed over to the government.