Staff Reporter
WALU Fishing Investments (Pty) Ltd has accused the Ministry of Fisheries of concealing its own failures by alleging non-compliance on the part of Walu, while disregarding breaches of an agreement that the Ministry itself drafted, implemented, and managed.
The allegations were made by Erna Loch, who participated in the Government Employment Redress Programme through her company, Walu Fishing Investments.
According to her, the Ministry was never a passive observer in the Government Employment Redress Programme, but an active party responsible for setting the criteria, issuing allocations, and approving employment numbers, and was fully aware that the programme was defaulting in multiple respects.
“The criteria applied under the so-called Employment Redress Programme did not result in sustainable employment. On the contrary, it entrenched unemployment by issuing quota allocations late, failing to align quota with vessel availability, and withdrawing licences while fishing operations were already underway. The direct consequence of these actions was operational paralysis, lost income, and hardship for fishermen—who became the ultimate victims of systemic failure,” Loch said.
She further argued that the way the programme was implemented undermined the constitutional right to work and earn a decent living, deterred both domestic and international investment, and destabilised the fishing industry.
“These outcomes are incompatible with a programme purportedly designed to promote employment and social redress. Furthermore, this programme was not structured to create long-term, sustainable employment. Instead, it appears to have been driven by short-term political considerations ahead of elections, using vulnerable fishermen as leverage,” Loch added.
She claimed that when the programme inevitably collapsed under its own contradictions, responsibility was shifted to participating companies rather than acknowledged at policy level.
“The Ministry’s repeated reliance on the issue of fishing rights is misleading. When the Marine Resources Act of 2000 was amended in 2015, Section 2(3) of the amended Act clearly states that the State is entitled to utilise or harvest marine resources ‘to advance any social, economic, cultural or other governmental objectives in the public interest, through an entity or person designated by the Minister on direction from Cabinet.’ In simple terms, this means that any Namibian entity or person without a fishing right may be considered to participate in the industry to create jobs and promote socio-economic development—with the support of the Government,” Loch said.
She noted that while the Ministry now questions Walu Fishing’s eligibility or fishing rights, it must equally explain why quota allocations have been granted to companies without fishing rights, including Blue Cromis Fishing, Rukatuku, Manmar Investment 125, Aluhe Fishing, Namfi Fishing, Mabesen, and numerous others operating under similar or identical arrangements.
“Selective enforcement of the law undermines public trust. If the Ministry wishes to open this Pandora’s box, then the entire system of quota allocations, beneficiaries, and political discretion must be subjected to equal and transparent scrutiny—not selectively applied to silence criticism,” Loch said.
She raised concerns about the fact that while their contracted vessel was actively catching fish, the Ministry abruptly cancelled their fishing licence. She stressed that this action directly sabotaged operations and effectively guaranteed the very non-payment now cited as justification for the cancellation.
“Such conduct demonstrates bad faith and direct interference with the programme’s stated objectives. Walu Fishing (Pty) Ltd has never denied the hardship suffered by fishermen. What we reject is the dishonest rewriting of events to absolve Government of responsibility. Accountability must be shared where responsibility was shared. The truth will withstand scrutiny. Should it become necessary, all correspondence, agreements, timelines, and approvals will be placed in the public domain,” Loch added.
