Staff Reporter
The Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation, Utoni Nujoma has raised a concern regarding a continuous contravention of the relevant provisions of the Labour Act 11 of 2007 and the Collective Agreement for Minimum Wages in the Security Industry.
He shared this sentiment during a meeting with Security Association of Namibia (SAN) representatives at the Ministry’s Head Offices recently.
Workplace inspections report between January-March 2022 shows that of the 182 employers inspected, 121 (66%) were found to be in compliance, while 61 (34%) were not compliant with the provisions of the law, disappointingly with the Basic Conditions of Employment which deserve no compromise.
Security series in Southern Regions (Mariental, Keetmanshoop, Karasburg, Noordorwer, Rosh Pinah, Oranjemund and Luderitz) was in contravention with 73% while Central Regions (Windhoek, Gobabis, Rehoboth, Okahandja, Omaruru, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay) had 90% compliance rate.
Records by the Ministry show that most labour related complaints that are being attended to, have to do with issues of employers not paying severance pay, unfair dismissals, unpaid remuneration (not on time as per the agreement and/or not at all), and unlawful deductions among others.
The Ministry also learnt a strategy by some security employers who disadvantage the “experienced Security Officers” by getting rid of them for no apparent reasons and recruiting new ones who are paid at a lower rate in relation to the Collective Agreement. According to the Collective Agreement in Security Industry, the Security Officers at the entry level are remunerated a minimum wage of N$8.75 per hour while those that have been in employment with the same employer are entitled to a minimum wage of NS 10.00 per hour.
On his part, the Founding President of SAN, Hans Miljo expressed his concern of the absence of Regulatory Framework in the Security Industry, which according to him needs to be finalized in order to help enhancing compliance within the industry. According to him, most of employers in Security Industry operate from nowhere and in most cases disappear into thin air, leaving the workers not knowing what to do next.
He therefore appealed to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security to finalize the promulgation of the Regulations.
