Staff Reporter
The Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations has clarified that security workers in the construction industry must currently receive at least N$16.00 per ordinary hour in 2026 and N$18.00 per ordinary hour from 1 January 2027.
The ministry made the clarification after minimum rates for security guards were listed as N$153.88 per 12-hour shift in Year 1 and N$161.57 per 12-hour shift in Year 2 in a Collective Agreement concluded between the Construction Industries Federation of Namibia (CIF) and the Metal and Allied Namibian Workers Union (MANWU). The agreement was extended to the construction industry through Government Notice No. 271, published in Government Gazette No. 9010 on 1 September 2026.
“The agreement lists a security-guard rate of N$153.88 per 12-hour shift in Year 1 and N$161.57 per 12-hour shift in Year 2. These amounts are equivalent to approximately N$12.82 and N$13.46 per hour, respectively, and are below the statutory minimum wage rate for security workers. The Ministry, therefore, wishes to clarify that the National Minimum Wage should take precedence wherever the agreement prescribes a less favourable wage, such as in this case,” the Ministry’s Acting Executive Director, Aune Mudjanima, said.
She explained that the National Minimum Wage Order, published under Government Notice No. 218 of 2024 and amended by Government Notice No. 6 of 2025, requires every employer to pay no less than the prescribed minimum wage. She stressed that a contract of employment or collective agreement applies only where it provides a more favourable condition of employment.
“Accordingly, a security worker in the construction industry must currently receive at least N$16.00 per ordinary hour in 2026, increasing to N$18.00 per ordinary hour from 1 January 2027. Employers must therefore not apply the lower security-guard minimum wage set out in Government Notice No. 271, titled ‘Extension of Collective Agreement for Minimum Wage and Conditions of Employment: Construction Industry: Labour Act, 2007’. However, the remaining provisions of the collective agreement continue to apply, including any terms that are more favourable to employees,” Mudjanima said.
She assured employers, employees and other affected stakeholders that the discrepancy is being addressed and that the relevant provision will be corrected through the appropriate process.
“Until the correction is formally effected, the higher National Minimum Wage remains applicable and must be observed,” Mudjanima said.
Picture for illustrative purposes only. Photo: File
