Testimony regarding the confrontation between thousands of striking Namibian workers and the illegal South African government of occupation. Houser reports that the strike primarily involves contract laborers from Ovamboland. It began among dock and fishing industry workers in Walvis Bay, spread to railroad, municipal and service workers in Windhoek, then to mine workers in the north at Tsumeb and surrounding areas, and then to the diamond fields in the south. The strikers' demands include: 1. Abolition - not improvement - of the contract labor system. 2. Abolition of the pass system. 3. The right to freedom of movement for workers and their families and an end to the separation of families...
Testimony regarding the confrontation between thousands of striking Namibian workers and the illegal South African government of occupation. Houser reports that the strike primarily involves contract laborers from Ovamboland. It began among dock and fishing industry workers in Walvis Bay, spread to railroad, municipal and service workers in Windhoek, then to mine workers in the north at Tsumeb and surrounding areas, and then to the diamond fields in the south. The strikers' demands include: 1. Abolition - not improvement - of the contract labor system. 2. Abolition of the pass system. 3. The right to freedom of movement for workers and their families and an end to the separation of families by the migratory labor system. 4. The right to free choice of jobs. 5. Pay raises and an end to job discrimination based on race and color. 6. Removal of the South African police post from Ovamboland. 7. The right to be represented at all settlement talks between South African government representatives and the Ovamboland Council
