City of Windhoek workers demand 10% salary increment

The City of Windhoek’s employees are demanding a 10 percent salary and wage increment for 2023–24 to cope with the ever-increasing cost of living.

Protestors say necessities such as fuel and food have become costly while their salaries have remained stagnant for the past four years.

In addition, the city has also increased its rates and taxes by 4.5%, while the electricity rate went up by 8.6%.

Also on the list are free parking spaces, permanent appointments, a stop to outsourcing services while there is internal capacity, nepotism, and corruption.

Namibia Public Workers Union shop steward Elia Haindongo, however, says the 10% increment is still negotiable.

Haindongo says the municipality has outsourced all parking lots to a private contractor that is collecting up to N$800 per month from each staff member.

“To stop the unnecessary postponement of labour matters affecting the well-being of employees, we are taking action about the job evaluation appeal, which has been postponed under unclear circumstances and even affects specific cases referred for external litigation, causing undue frustration to staff members. Discriminatory treatment of employees during disciplinary proceedings is another unfair labour practice where treatment of lower-ranking staff members is harsh while senior staff are protected by the system.”

Employees have given the city 14 working days to respond to their demands.

Receiving the petition was the City of Windhoek’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Faniel Maanda, who said the municipality’s management will study the petition and respond accordingly.

“We are going to study the content of the petition, and then we are going to respond to each and every issue in the petition.”