Justicia Shipena
The government’s redress programme in the fishing sector will come to an end in April 2027.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah announced this at the close of a fishing industry engagement in Walvis Bay, where she said the sector is undergoing a transition.
“Come April 2027, the redress programme will have to come to an end,” she said.
The Government Employment Redress Programme (GERP) was introduced to address job losses linked to the 2015 illegal industrial action and the fallout from the fishrot scandal.
It uses fishing quotas to support companies that rehire retrenched workers.
The announcement comes a month after the government said 222 workers who lost jobs at Walu Fishing would be reintegrated through agreements with four fishing companies under the programme.
Following consultations in Walvis Bay, the minister of fisheries, Inge Zaamwani and the minister of justice and labour relations, Fillemon Wise Immanuel, said companies will receive employment redress quotas based on the number of workers they absorb.
In October last year, it was revealed that the programme remains under audit by the office of the auditor general.
The audit will assess the status of workers and address concerns about the scheme.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said discussions during the engagement showed the industry is facing challenges linked to climate pressures and structural issues.
“What is clear is that we are progressing into an industry transition,” she said.
She said the sector needs cooperation across all stakeholders.
“The future of this industry will not be secured by one group alone. It will require all of us, government, employers, employees, and unions, working together with trust, with empathy, and with a shared sense of responsibility,” she said.
She also raised concerns about the labour hire model.
“Moreover, the labour hire model, which has emerged more apparent as an unintended consequence of the redress programme, should cease to exist as it distorts the optimal benefit to the employees,” she said.
She said the government will support the transition by identifying other sectors that can absorb workers who may lose jobs.
“As the government, we will play our part in this transition to identify other sectors that can absorb those leaving their jobs in the fishing sector,” she said.
She said Cabinet will consider recommendations from the engagement.
These include sustainability measures, improved transparency in quota allocations and support for value addition.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said sustainability must remain central.
“The ocean will not continue to give indefinitely if we do not manage it responsibly,” she said.
She called for joint action to support the sector.
“When we hold hands and tackle our challenges together, there is no way this nation cannot prosper,” she said.
