Government resorts manager offered staff voluntary separation

Namibia Wildlife Resorts had to embark on a process of voluntary retrenchments for its staff following the devastating impact COVID-19 had on the tourism sector.

Managing Director of the state-owned enterprise, Dr Matthias Ngwangwama said based on worldwide experiences, they are aware that it would be difficult to have the same staff profile as pre-Covid.

“Most companies around the world have begun following the same trend to find ways of reducing their wage bill and other operational costs,” Ngwangwama said.

In a statement issued this week, Spokesperson Mufaro Nesongano said from 22 September until 22 October, the company offered employees the opportunity to separate from the organisation voluntarily.

He added that the voluntary retrenchments comes on the backdrop of the company’s Board of Directors and senior management team taking a 25% reduction in income to cut costs.

“However, these efforts alone have not been sufficient to place the organisation in a better financial position. Therefore the NWR EXCO submitted a cost-cutting plan to its Board which they approved. One of the measures was voluntary separation with the view of ensuring the sustainability of the organisation,” Nesongano said.

Employees who accept voluntary retrenchment will receive two week’s salary for every year of uninterrupted service as a severance pay-out; any leave balance as at 30 September 2020, subject to a maximum of 60 days will be paid-out and any accrued leave days above 60 days will be paid at 50% or half of the excess days.

The company offered any employee entitled to an annual birthday bonus, a proportion equal to the months since the last bonus was paid out, including one month’s salary in lieu of notice.

Additionally, employees receive total Pension Fund credit in line with the Pension / Provident Fund Rules / Laws and transport to the place of normal residence (within the borders of Namibia) for them and their belongings.