Employment Equity Commission

Also known as: EEC · 8th Employment Equity Commission

Employment Equity Commission — enforces Namibia's Affirmative Action Act, reviewing employer compliance and conducting hearings on non-compliance with employment equity requirements.

2026-01-212026-10-22

News reports

Order a long-term news report on Employment Equity Commission

Every mention in the Namibian press over the period you choose, compiled as a PDF or Word document.

What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

October 2026
15 OctThe Namibian
Employment Equity Commission rejected Bukalo Village Council's report over incomplete workforce data
Source
“The council was summoned before the commission's review panel yesterday to explain its non-compliance after its report was rejected over incomplete workforce data, missing information and the failure to follow prescribed reporting requirements.”
Bukalo council equity report rejected over incomplete data
12 OctThe Namibian
Employment Equity Commission has summoned nine employers to face review hearings over alleged non-compliance
Source
“The Employment Equity Commission (EEC) has summoned nine employers to face review hearings over alleged non-compliance with Namibia's affirmative action laws, warning that continued violations could lead to criminal prosecution.”
Equity commission summons nine employers amid non-compliance reviews
12 OctThe Namibian
EEC has begun identifying and formulating criminal charges against several employers for alleged contraventions
Source
“"The EEC has begun identifying and formulating criminal charges against several employers for alleged contraventions under section 47 of the act," reads the statement.”
Equity commission summons nine employers amid non-compliance reviews
September 2026
15 SeptInformanté
Employment Equity Commission conducted stakeholder consultations and established sub-committee on Employment Equity Bill
Source
“The Employment Equity Commission conducted stakeholder consultations and established a sub-committee to incorporate feedback into the draft Bill.”
Labour Ministry records progress amid workplace safety concerns
June 2026
18 JunThe Namibian
Employment Equity Commission has failed to publish annual reports for over five years
Source
“The Employment Equity Commission (EEC) has failed to publish its annual reports for over five years.”
Equity body in violation of own rules
January 2026
25 JanInformanté
The Employment Equity Commission (EEC) has issued final orders in respect of seven of eight designated employers for non-compliance with Affirmative Action
Source
“THE Employment Equity Commission (EEC) has issued final orders in respect of seven of the eight designated employers who appeared before its review panel on Wednesday, 21 January 2026, following the disapproval of their Affirmative Action (AA) reports for non-compliance under the Affirmative Action Employment Act of 1998.”
EEC issues final orders to employers that are non-compliant with Affirmative Action
22 JanInformanté
The EEC has commenced the process of identifying and formulating criminal charges against employers for contravening section 47 of the Affirmative Action Act
Source
“The Commissioner confirmed that the EEC has commenced the process of identifying and formulating criminal charges against the relevant employers for contravening section 47 of the Affirmative Action Act.”
RFA and other employers to face review panel this week over Affirmative Action non-compliance
22 JanThe Namibian
Employment Equity Commission questioned how school arrived at 64% figure
Source
“The school was answering questions by the Employment Equity Commission (EEC) who questioned how the school arrived at this figure.”
Walvis Primary School defends claim that 64% of its workforce has disabilities
21 JanThe Namibian
Employment Equity Commission will review 15 employers for alleged non-compliance with Affirmative Action Act
Source
“Fifteen employers will appear before the Employment Equity Commission (EEC) review panel for alleged non-compliance with the Affirmative Action (Employment) Act of 1998.”
15 employers to be reviewed for non-compliance with affirmative action

Society

MPs call for pay transparency and enforcement in workplace equity

The News

Members of parliament have called for greater pay transparency, better support for working mothers, and tougher enforcement of employment equity requirements to ensure women have fair opportunities to advance and take up leadership positions. Deputy shadow minister Lucia Mbuti urged the incoming Employment Equity Commission to require employers to report on pay disparities, promote parental support and flexible working hours, and conduct physical workplace inspections to verify compliance.

16 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Friday 16 October

MPs call for pay transparency and enforcement in workplace equity
Members of parliament have called for greater pay transparency, better support for working mothers, and tougher enforcement of employment equity requirements to ensure women have fair opportunities to advance and take up leadership positions. Deputy shadow minister Lucia Mbuti urged the incoming Employment Equity Commission to require employers to report on pay disparities, promote parental support and flexible working hours, and conduct physical workplace inspections to verify compliance.
16 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Thursday 15 October

Bukalo Village Council's affirmative action report rejected for incomplete data
The Bukalo Village Council's first affirmative action report was rejected by the Employment Equity Commission over incomplete workforce data and failure to follow prescribed reporting requirements. The council attributed the non-compliance to poor record-keeping, limited knowledge of affirmative action requirements, and lack of guidance.
15 October 2026 · The Namibian →
Parliamentarian warns against overlooking men in employment equity
NUDO's Vetaruhe Kandorozu told the National Assembly that employment equity efforts should balance opportunities for both men and women, citing examples of institutions with female-dominated senior management. IPC member Lucia Mbuti countered that the Employment Equity Commission must address historical workplace injustices and promote fairer working environments including for employees with disabilities.
15 October 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 14 October

Entrepo retrenches 25 workers, expects further cuts ahead
Entrepo Namibia retrenched 25 workers by end of July and expects more job losses after the government suspended its payroll deduction system, which the company relied on to issue loans to civil servants and recover repayments via salary deductions.
14 October 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 12 October

Nine employers summoned for affirmative action non-compliance hearings
The Employment Equity Commission has summoned nine employers, including PricewaterhouseCoopers Namibia and Karibib Private School, to face review hearings on 13 and 14 October over alleged violations of Namibia's affirmative action laws. The commission warns that continued non-compliance could lead to criminal prosecution and has begun formulating criminal charges against several employers.
12 October 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 15 September

Labour Ministry reports 257 job placements, workplace safety concerns
The Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations recorded progress in employment services and labour-law enforcement in the first quarter of 2026/27, registering 3,487 jobseekers, reporting 706 vacancies, and making 257 job placements. During the quarter, 759 workplaces were inspected with 70% found compliant, while four cases of child labour were identified and five non-fatal workplace accidents were reported.
15 September 2026 · Informanté →

Tuesday 14 July

Seven companies fail to meet affirmative action leadership requirements
The Employment Equity Commission found seven employers non-compliant with affirmative action provisions after they failed to groom qualified Namibians for senior positions and neglected to obtain required exemptions or approvals from the labour minister. The companies also failed to consult employees during the preparation and implementation of their affirmative action plans.
14 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 1 July

Disability rights advocate Muluti champions inclusion in Namibia
Orben Muluti, chairperson of Namibian Organisation of Youth with Disabilities, has become one of Namibia's leading disability rights advocates, using leadership roles to push for greater inclusion, equal employment opportunities, and stronger partnerships between government and disability organisations. His work is guided by the principle that nothing about persons with disabilities should be decided without their voices.
1 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 18 June

Employment Equity Commission fails to publish reports for five years
The Employment Equity Commission has not published its annual reports since 2019, violating legal requirements. The Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations attributes this to budget constraints, staffing shortages, and software failures, but unions say the failure reflects incompetence and undermines monitoring of employment discrimination.
18 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 8 April

Employers' federation seeks policy clarity from presidential address
The Namibian Employers' Federation has called on President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to use her state of the nation address to provide businesses with clarity on economic policies. NEF president Elia Shikongo cited modest growth, high unemployment, rising costs, and labour law uncertainty as challenges, and urged the government to balance worker protection with business sustainability and job creation.
8 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 13 February

Ombudsman finds NamRA guilty of unlawful ethnic discrimination in hiring
The Ombudsman has released a damning report concluding that the Namibia Revenue Agency's recruitment process violated the Constitution through maladministration, lack of transparency, and apparent discrimination based on race and ethnicity, including the use of "tribal groupings" in shortlisting candidates. The report calls for urgent reforms including stricter adherence to merit-based criteria, independent oversight, and regular audits of hiring practices.
13 February 2026 · New Era →

Sunday 25 January

Employment Equity Commission disapproves RFA and 14 other entities' reports
The Employment Equity Commission has summoned 15 entities, including the Road Fund Administration, for noncompliance with the Affirmative Action Act, citing discrepancies in workforce profile data, missing evaluation reports, and failure to correct shortcomings identified in previous years. The commission warned that continued noncompliance could result in criminal charges under the act.
25 January 2026 · The Namibian →
EEC issues final orders against non-compliant employers' affirmative action
The Employment Equity Commission has issued final orders against seven of eight designated employers who failed to comply with Affirmative Action reporting requirements under the 1998 Act. Two employers' reports were approved after corrective action, while five others faced disapprovals with potential criminal enforcement consequences.
25 January 2026 · Informanté →

Thursday 22 January

Fifteen employers face review panel for affirmative action non-compliance
The Employment Equity Commission's Review Panel will hear from 15 employers, including the Road Fund Administration, Beefcor Meat Suppliers, and Letshego Bank, over their failure to comply with the Affirmative Action Act; hearings are set for 21–22 January 2026 and are open to the public. The panel will assess whether employers are making genuine efforts to promote fair and equitable employment practices, and may issue binding orders or initiate criminal proceedings for non-compliance.
22 January 2026 · Informanté →
Walvis Bay Primary School challenged on 64% disability employment claim
The Employment Equity Commission questioned Walvis Bay Primary School's claim that 64% of its workforce are persons with disabilities, far exceeding the legally mandated 5%. The school's consultant argued that the Affirmative Action Act's unclear definition of "disabilities" led to the higher count, but the review panel advised the school to follow the Act and consult the National Disability Council.
22 January 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 21 January

Employment Equity Commission to review 15 employers for affirmative action breaches
Fifteen employers, including state-owned enterprises and private companies, will face review panel hearings in January for alleged non-compliance with the Affirmative Action (Employment) Act. The Employment Equity Commission says the hearings will assess whether genuine efforts are being made to promote fair employment practices, and the commission has also commenced formulating criminal charges against some employers for contraventions.
21 January 2026 · The Namibian →