Erongo Marine and Etosha Fishing take care of their employees while factories remain open
“We have all been called on to serve our country in these difficult times. We will do so with courage and perseverance. Your health and safety remain our top priority during this period.”
This powerful statement came from the Oceana Group’s management to support the company’s more than one thousand employees in Namibia during a period of disruption and uncertainty. This week all employees received food rations and those that are at sea, had their parcels delivered to their families at home.
In Namibia, Oceana owns Erongo Marine Enterprises and Commercial Cold Storage. The only local cannery, Etosha Fishing Corporation, is an associate company. All three companies are certified by the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade as essential economic service providers and food suppliers.
Oceana Group Chief Executive who is based in Cape Town, Imraan Soomra reminded all employees to adhere strictly to all health and safety protocols, both from the government and from the industry.
“There is no doubt that the lockdown measures announced by the government will have deep and lasting economic effects but our first priority must be to save lives. Businesses can be rebuilt and jobs regained but lives not,” he said
The Managing Director of Erongo Marine, Dr Martha Uumati said “Our employees are the life-blood of our business, and our greatest asset. As an essential service food supplier, our employees continue to serve our country in these difficult times. Our first duty is, and will always be, to ensure that our employees and their families remain safe, are well taken care of and that we sustain their jobs.”
Most of Erongo Marine’s workers opted to continue working on the company’s horse mackerel mid-water trawlers which are out at sea and effectively quarantined, instead of sitting at home on lockdown without earning a fishing commission.
Realising the importance of a reliable food supply and the need for affordable protein, Etosha Fishing’s cannery has continued to work to ensure a sufficient volume of canned pilchard and horse mackerel. Similarly, Commercial Cold Storage has remained operational to provide an uninterrupted service in the distribution of frozen goods from it cold storage in Walvis Bay.
Caption: All employees of subsidiaries in the Oceana stable this week received food rations from their company.
