Workforce issues

Employment numbers have increased with the horse mackerel operations now employing 592 people (permanent and casual). The monk operations were differently structured with the vessel now catching hake, but still with 21 people employed on the vessel and on standby for rotation. The oyster farm, despite crippling mortalities due to severe sulphur eruptions, employs 21 people. The pilchard cannery still employs 76 permanent and 753 seasonal workers, but it is expected that the seasonal workers could be employed for longer due to the increased volumes available to this facility. Our Angolan operations employ 118 people at sea and on land. Total employment, permanent and temporary, in Namibia and Angola, could reach 1581 in the peak of the season.

We continue to respond to the challenge to promote sea-going employees to officer rankings through Namsov’s training programme. The objective is to graduate crew at the Namibian Maritime and Fisheries Institute (NAMFI) who can then go on to officer training at recognised institutions abroad. This process will take 13 to 15 years at a cost of R500 000 per student. The first two students were enrolled at the officers’ training school in Saldanha, South Africa (after six months they will graduate to the Cape Peninsula Technikon) and a further two students will be introduced into this system in 2011.

Crews have representation through unions and the company enjoys generally good industrial relations.

Two government observers per vessel monitor operations at sea on a 24/7 basis. Separate teams of inspectors monitor transhipments and discharges. Namsov adheres to all international maritime regulations, with special emphasis on those relating to safety. No serious incidents were recorded.

HIV/Aids and health-related absenteeism is a major concern for us. The company has an ongoing programme to help employees establish their HIV status and to assist sufferers with treatment, including the use of ARVs. It is suspected that absenteeism rates are linked to this disease, but current indicators are not reliable. While management of this condition is an ongoing challenge, continued efforts appear to be yielding positive results with a lower incidence of new cases as well as reduced health related absenteeism. We continue to offer counselling and education at both company and national level.

Local economic development

The pilchard cannery re-opened its doors for the second year in a row and, with significantly increased volumes available for processing, is providing permanent and temporary employment for over 800 people. We also introduced a replacement vessel to the horse mackerel fleet. At N$ 210 million, this major investment has created 10 new direct jobs and a more technologically competitive platform for the future.

Namsov is using its capital and expertise in a joint-venture with four smaller local fishing companies. The resulting entity, Trachurus Fishing, is 50,1% owned by Namsov. The company owns two vessels and continues to perform well under Namsov’s management in the harvesting of its horse mackerel quotas.

Further local economic development is achieved through the Namsov Community Trust, a 10% shareholder in Namsov. This year the trust invested R3,2 million in projects to help people and communities in need, bringing the total since 1990 to R28,5 million. The company is directed by five trustees, two (non-executive) representing the local communities and three company-appointed trustees with executive functions.

The biggest projects this year were the supply of training equipment to a training facility in the remote town of Keetmanshoop (N$ 1 million); the establishment of an endowment fund for the University of Namibia to assist post graduate students doing research on coastal and marine subjects in the coastal town of Henties Bay (N$ 1 million), and the ongoing sponsoring of preparatory schools in disadvantaged areas during school holidays for Grade 10 learners.