Africa-Press – Namibia. Minister of justice and labour relations Wise Immanuel on Thursday told a group of over 300 City of Windhoek solid waste department employees that his ministry will act swiftly to investigate allegations that the city pays them below the amended minimum wage bill.
During a march to the labour ministry, the employees – currently on day 16 of a ‘no work, no pay’ strike – informed Immanuel that their employer pays them N$14 per hour, N$4 less than the amended minimum wage of N$18.
The minister labelled this practice “a violation of employees’ rights.”
“Should it be true that the City of Windhoek indeed is paying you N$14 per hour, the ministry will intervene actively,” Immanuel told the group of disgruntled employees.
According to him, the ministry is in a position to issue a compliance order to the city.
“That’s a law, it is, therefore, a right,” he emphasised.
Immanuel said the ministry is responsible for engaging employers regularly to enlighten them on fair labour practices.
Speaking to The Namibian, city cleaner Alex Tjikoromuinjo cites the absence of a pay grading system and underpayment among various other unfair labour practices at the municipality.
“We are contracted as fixed-term workers but have no benefits, such as medical aid and pension fund,” Tjikoromuinjo says.
According to him, since starting their employment in 2018, their earnings were never adjusted, remaining at N$3 300 – an amount Tjikoromuinjo says “is not sufficient to make ends meet.”
“In this economy, that amount cannot cater for essentials like food, rent and school fees for our children,” he adds.
Despite exploring all internal approaches to resolve the matter, he says management has refused to come to the table for an amicable resolution.
“We have submitted countless petitions, but still have not received a satisfactory response,” he says.
Immanuel assured the employees that a team from the labour commissioner would be sent to the municipality on Friday to commence a dialogue bringing both parties together for negotiations.
City spokesperson Harold Akwenye says the city cannot pronounce its position on the matter, citing a pending court case.
However, he confirms that the city has not paid the workers according to the amended minimum wage, as their contracts were issued before the bill’s amendment.
“With the next set of negotiations, the city is prepared to adjust this arrangement to meet the minimum wage criteria,” Akwenye says.
He confirms that the municipality’s ward cleaners earn a total remuneration package of N$5 095.70 per month, which includes allowances and statutory contributions.
“The remuneration for temporary fixed-term ward cleaners was determined in line with the city’s approved salary framework for temporary employees,” Akwenye says.
“This package includes a basic salary of N$3 300, transport allowance of N$800, pension allowance of N$716, and medical allowance of N$250.”
He adds that the pay structure “is benchmarked against similar entry-level positions within the public sector” and reflects the city’s effort to maintain both fairness and financial sustainability.
Responding to the workers’ calls for higher pay, Akwenye says: “The city acknowledges the concerns raised and remains committed to dialogue within the boundaries of its financial and budgetary frameworks. We are open to discussions guided by due financial processes and legal frameworks.”
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