Namibia Minute.
Friday, 24 April 2026
A daily Namibian brief · Est. 2026
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Organization

Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations

Also known as: The Ministry OF Justice and Labour Relations

Ministry overseeing labour, employee compensation, and workplace matters including civil service medical aid reforms and retrenchment notifications.

Society

Civil servants face Psemas reforms, reapply by August deadline

The News

The Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations has ordered civil servants to reapply for Public Service Employees Medical Aid Scheme benefits by end of August following reforms to the scheme's operations. Trade unions have criticized the lack of consultation and warned that reported increases in medical aid contributions could severely impact civil servants' finances.

15 April 2026 · The Namibian

Wednesday 15 April

  1. Civil servants face Psemas reforms, reapply by August deadline

    The Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations has ordered civil servants to reapply for Public Service Employees Medical Aid Scheme benefits by end of August following reforms to the scheme's operations. Trade unions have criticized the lack of consultation and warned that reported increases in medical aid contributions could severely impact civil servants' finances.

    15 April 2026 · The Namibian

  2. Deputy minister appointments spark debate over costs and efficiency

    Political analysts have questioned President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's appointment of seven deputy ministers, arguing the move contradicts her cost-cutting agenda and duplicates administrative roles rather than improving service delivery. Supporters counter that merged ministries require deputy ministers for parliamentary accountability, though critics contend the appointments reward campaign loyalists rather than serve governance needs.

    15 April 2026 · The Namibian

Sunday 5 April

  1. President to appoint eight deputy ministers and new minister

    President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is expected to announce eight new deputy ministers and appoint deputy defence minister Charles Mubita as minister in the Presidency. The move comes despite her earlier decision to cut ministries and reduce Cabinet size, with critics and analysts warning that some merged ministries may now be too large to function effectively.

    5 April 2026 · The Namibian

Thursday 2 April

  1. Government pays N$4.9m to 258 injured civil servants

    The government has paid N$4.9 million to 258 civil servants who sustained injuries or contracted occupational diseases during the 2025/26 financial year, with compensation including medical expenses and pensions under the Employee Compensation Act, 1941. Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare disclosed this while tabling the labour budget of N$231 million for 2026/27.

    2 April 2026 · The Namibian

Tuesday 31 March

  1. Namibia's legal gaps leave surrogacy arrangements vulnerable to exploitation

    Medical experts and legal analysts warn that Namibia lacks laws regulating surrogacy, creating risks of exploitation and trafficking, following a fraudulent advertisement offering N$800,000 to surrogates. While South Africa and Botswana have experience with regulated or unregulated surrogacy arrangements, Namibia's legal framework remains silent on the matter, leaving parties with no legal protection and prompting calls for amendments to the Child Care and Protection Act.

    31 March 2026 · The Namibian

Thursday 26 March

  1. ILO funding crisis threatens labour standards work globally

    Namibia's delegation at the UN International Labour Organisation's governing body raised concerns that funding challenges, including a projected deficit of US$52.6 million by end of fiscal year 2024/25 and potential loss of 350 positions, could hamper the ILO's ability to execute its global mandate. The Executive Director of Namibia's Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations called on member states to honour financial obligations and warned that Namibia, which lacks its own ILO office and depends on technical support from South Africa, risks disproportionate impact from proposed cuts to travel and technical missions.

    26 March 2026 · Informanté

  2. Cheetah Cement plans to retrench 87 workers by April

    Cheetah Cement has notified the Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations of its intent to retrench 87 employees by 15 April, citing financial losses, import restrictions, and a blocked merger. The notice is a declaration of intent subject to ongoing consultations with the ministry and the Mineworkers Union of Namibia, and the final number of retrenchments may change.

    26 March 2026 · The Namibian

Wednesday 25 March

  1. Fisheries ministry passes Samherji workers' compensation claims to Labour

    The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has referred compensation claims from 252 former Samherji employees to the Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations, noting that affected workers were already considered under a government redress programme aimed at reintegrating them into the fishing industry following the company's 2019–2020 closure. Some former employees argue that placement at other companies does not fully address their financial losses.

    25 March 2026 · The Namibian

Sunday 8 March

  1. Zambezi leaders divided over hiring Zambian domestic workers

    Katima Mulilo residents and leaders are split on whether employing Zambian nationals for domestic work worsens the Zambezi region's 43.7% unemployment rate. While some argue locals are avoiding low-wage jobs and should support Namibian workers, others contend young Namibians are unwilling to take such positions, and the ministry says undocumented migrant workers fall outside labor protections.

    8 March 2026 · The Namibian

Friday 6 March

  1. Beifang Mining marks 13 years of operations in Namibia

    Beifang Mining Technology Services, a foreign-invested mining services company operating in Namibia since 2013, reports N$2.2 billion in direct foreign investment, employs over 915 staff (93% Namibian), and spent N$712 million on local procurement in 2025. The company emphasizes its adherence to Namibian labour law, employee training and development, and safety standards in response to recent public discussions about shift operations exemptions.

    6 March 2026 · The Namibian

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