The fishermen who undertook a crippling strike in 2015 at Walvis Bay have distanced themselves from the group of fishermen currently demonstrating in Windhoek.

The Chairperson of the Ex-Striking Okapare Fishermen, Godfried Kuhanga, made the clarification alongside other former striking fishermen.

According to the group, they were placed in three categories under the Government Employment Redress Programme, and those currently protesting are not part of their group.

“We were divided into three groups. Group A was the Namso Fritrench employees. Group B was the 2015 striking fishermen, and Group C was the Avas who were affected in the fishing industry due to different situations that took place. We are the Okapara fishermen, the 2015 strikers, and we want to clarify that the Windhoek demonstration team has no strikers. Those are the Group C team.”

Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the Mining, Metal, Maritime and Construction Workers Union, Joseph ||Garoeb, confirmed that the current group is indeed separate. 

He did point out, though, that the union represents strike participants from 2015, including one who is participating in the current demonstration.

The protesting fishermen want to engage the Minister of Fisheries, Inge Zaamwani, to give them answers and act on the reduction of fishing quotas.