Chinese Company Xinfeng Wins Interdict Against Mines Minister in Mining Licence Battle

Eileen van der Schyff

In a recent legal battle between Xinfeng Investments, a Chinese mining company, and Namibia's Ministerof Mines and Energy,TomAlweendo, the company emerged victorious with an interdict granted by acting High Court judge Ramon Maasdorp. The interdict stops Alweendo from implementinghisdecisiontorevokeXinfeng'smininglicenceML243intheDauresconstituency.

Chinese company

Xinfeng Investments hassecuredaninterdict against Namibia's Mines Minister, Tom Alweendo, in a legal battle over the revocation of its mining licence Acting High Court judge, Ramon Maasdorp granted the interdict, ruling that the minister did not have the unilateral right to cancelthelicence. Although Xinfeng was foundtobedishonestin its application, it will face further scrutiny during the main trial. The Ministry of Mines andEnergyhasrespected the court's decision, while the matter re- mains sub judice. In a press release, the Ministry of Mines and Energy acknowledged the court's decision and stated that they would abide by it. They refrained from commenting further due to the ongoing nature of

NIPDB and Namport Forge Alliances the main review to be litigated in the High Court.

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Employees Claim Unfair Labour Practice at Seafresh and Namsov

Eileen van der Schyff

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In a peaceful demonstration, more than 200 employees from Seafresh and Namsov Factory, represented by the Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (NAFAU), gathered at Tunacor FisheriesLimitedandtheOfficeoftheLabourCommissionerinWalvisBaytodeliverapetition.The petition raises concerns over the non-procedural termination of their employment and the subsequentplantotransferthemtoalocallabourhirecompany.

Theemployees,whoare affiliatedwithNAFAU, atradeunionassociated withtheNationalUnion of Namibian Workers, expressed disappoint- ment and strong opposition to the recent decision by their employers. On May 30, 2023, the employees received individual ter- mination notices from Seafresh and Namsov Factory, citing economic challenges and market dilemmas faced by the companies

NAFAU, as the recognised bargaining unit, engaged in negotiations with the companies as stipulatedbytheLabour Act No. 11 of 2007,

Section 34. However, the negotiations reached a deadlock when the company disregarded theunion'srequestfora meeting and agreement on the way forward. To theemployees'surprise, on June 22, 2023, the company management reached an agreement with the concerning labour hire company without the involvement of the employees orthebargainingunion.

The company claimed thatthisdecisionwould be favourable to the terminated employees.

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