[imagesource: YouTube / NBC Digital News]

A fuel station owner in Namibia has been accused of whipping his employees in what he called a “game” in which his workers could receive loans.

Videos of Micke du Preez whipping his employees went viral this week, where they were allegedly paid a loan of N$100 (R100) per lashing.

While the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) reported that Du Preez and his workers have come out in defence of the ‘game’, the Rundu Total Service Station owner has put himself on 14 days’ suspension, along with the involved employees to allow for investigations.

Whether a game or not, no person should ever be beaten in a bid to get by:

In that video, one of the victims, Jacob Willem, initially said it was “boys being boys” but in another NBC News segment said that when a “person is desperate for work, you are desperate to put bread on the table” so you allow these things to escalate:

“…the abuse started, it got worse, but for some reason, you start getting a mental block when you get abused like that, you became like a dog,”  Willem said, adding that “You are just as loyal as a dog is to the owner”.

Willem has since opened a criminal case against his former employer.

In that same video, another victim said that “every day when you come there, he asks you, “What can I call you today? Can I call you “blackass” or “kaffery” choose which name you prefer today?”

Du Preez has publically apologised to the victims and the nation, pledging his cooperation in the ongoing investigations, and announcing his own suspension through his lawyer, IOL reported:

His lawyer, Richard Metcalfe, told daily newspaper The Namibian that Du Preez placed himself on suspension to allow unimpeded investigations.

The involved workers would receive their full pay during this period.

Metcalfe said Du Preez condemned his actions and involvement in the “whipping game”, which he has apologised for.
“Any form of violence in the workplace, albeit voluntary and or a game, cannot be condoned in Namibia, and an unreserved apology is tendered by all employees involved therein,” said Metcalfe.

The lawyer also argues that the video in which Du Preez is captured whipping some of his employees was selectively utilised to artificially contrive a racist frenzy. But then:

One of the employees, Willem Duran, resigned on Tuesday, claiming he wanted to come clean about what happened.

He said they were promised N$5 000 to lie about the whipping game.

Sammy Monyai, who left his job of nine years as a supervisor on February 9, also confirmed the workers are enduring abuse at the hands of Du Preez when they ask for loans, per The Namibian.

“The owner is paying the people peanuts, the people start to feel the pinch of the economy what do they do, they now need to resort to them being beaten. What we are saying is that if we want an equal and fair society and that’s what we pride ourselves on in our constitution, but in practice that’s not what’s happening, slavery is still in existence today, but the only thing we have done with slavery is give it a modern name where we now have this thing called workers,” says NEFF Commissar & Activist, Michael Amushelelo.

The Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) have been leading demonstrations advising consumers to boycott the service station.

The investigation is ongoing.

[sources:iol&nambian&nbcnews]