African Deli leaves workers high, dry … battles financial collapse

WALVIS BAY – About 280 workers linked to African Deli (Pty) Ltd have been without salaries since November 2025 as the once-flourishing Namibian food processing company battles serious financial collapse.

African Deli, according to court documents, is owned by Marc Sean Seelenbinder and South African businessman Gerhardus Petrus Viljoen, who each hold a 50% interest in the company.

The Walvis Bay-based company is currently not operational, with allegations of financial mismanagement, unpaid salaries, mounting debt and outstanding utility and rental bills forming part of its troubles.

Employees have been left to deal with the consequences, with some reportedly evicted from their homes while others remain unemployed or have been forced to seek alternative employment.

An employee, who spoke to New Era on condition of anonymity, said workers have been left without answers about their employment status.

“We have been left hanging because nobody is telling us what is happening with the company. We have not received our salaries since November and were never given retrenchment letters,” the employee said.

Another employee said the situation has placed workers under severe financial distress.

“People have loans, mortgages, insurance and other commitments, but without salaries it is impossible to keep up with those payments,” the employee said.

According to the workers, one of the shareholders became unreachable after they were allegedly instructed around January 2026, through a labour officer, not to report for work.

They subsequently approached the ministry of labour but claim the shareholders failed to attend two arbitration hearings and could not be located by the ministry.

The workers also claim they have since been blocked from contacting him. An earlier proposal by another shareholder would have seen employees receiving 50% of their December 2025 salaries by the end of December, with the remaining half paid during the second week of January 2026. November salaries would then have been settled over four months from February.

However, the employees rejected the proposal and demanded full payment of their outstanding salaries. No settlement was reached.

The extent of African Deli’s financial problems emerged in court papers filed earlier this year by Viljoen, who described himself at that time as a 50% de facto shareholder. Although Viljoen instituted proceedings against fellow shareholder Seelenbinder, the case was subsequently withdrawn.

In his founding affidavit, Viljoen alleged that African Deli had accumulated approximately N$60 million in debt while battling unpaid salaries, rental and electricity arrears. He also alleges that outstanding salaries for November and December 2025 and January 2026 amounted to approximately N$1.38 million.

The company was also allegedly N$645 806 in arrears with its landlord, while electricity and utility arrears stood at approximately N$130 929.

“Salaries remain unpaid for months, the lease on the premises expired with arrear rentals and caused disconnection of the electricity supply”, Viljoen stated in his submissions. He also alleged that unauthorised withdrawals and other transactions contributed to a reduction of approximately N$21 million in the company’s loan accounts.

“These actions constitute self-dealing, at the expense of the company, its investors, creditors and employees,” Viljoen alleged. These claims were made as part of the court proceedings that were later withdrawn and were not determined by the court.

Further to this, Viljoen asserted, African Deli had a supply and manufacturing agreement for ready-to-eat chicken liver products destined for the South African National School Nutrition Programme.

Emails sent to Seelenbinder have not been answered yet.

-edeklerk@nepc.com.na