Commotion erupted at the Cheetah Cement Factory Plant when the police at Otjiwarongo descended on the factory premises demanding the striking workers leave or face arrest.

However, the workers ignored the order.

Witnesses say police visited the factory to enforce a court order to have the workers removed from the picketing area.
 
The Mineworkers' Union of Namibia Branch Chairperson, Naftali Nghipitwako, as well as the Northern Regional Treasurers, Phillemon Shipanga and Johannes Wilhelm, were picked up for questioning, but released later.

Shipanga expressed dismay, saying they were not in the wrong.

"So, we were taken to the police station against our will. We did not understand why. Personally, we feel this is not fair and it does not make sense. I feel discriminated against because there are many countless occasions when we have tried to contact the police to come to our aid whenever we felt threatened. However, I believe it was the Chinese company that invited the police, and they came quickly with all the machinery with guns, and rubber bullets, and I believe I saw tear gas and these barriers. We were not being violent, we had no weapons. It was to our surprise that we were being treated like this in our own country."

Namibian Police Regional Commander, Commissioner Heinrich Tjiveze, said police were acting on a court interdict rule as issued in August 2022.

The rules prohibit workers from being on the factory premises, interfering with the company's operations, or the movement of people or traffic to and from the factory.

About 100 factory workers have been on strike since the 21st of July.