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Sunday, 6 September 2026
Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Sunday, 6 September 2026
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Namibian press · Organization

Office of the Labour Commissioner

Office that conducts labour arbitrations and dispute resolution, has launched Standard Operating Procedures to improve service delivery across regional offices.

2025-01-132026-09-06
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What’s been said

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

  1. July 2026

  2. Informanté

    Office of the Labour Commissioner launched Standard Operating Procedures

    Source

    “THE Office of the Labour Commissioner has launched the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and highlighted the progress made in the Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) initiative, which, amongst other things, is meant to decrease the number of backlog labour cases as well as improve service delivery.”

    Office of Labour Commissioner launches new Standard Operating Procedures

  3. Windhoek Observer

    Office of the Labour Commissioner issued an arbitration award ordering reinstatement of two dismissed employees and compensation

    Source

    “The RFA is seeking to overturn an arbitration award issued by the Office of the Labour Commissioner earlier this year after the arbitrator found that the dismissal of the two employees was substantively unfair.”

    RFA appeal over reinstatement of dismissed employees delayed
  4. May 2026

  5. The Namibian

    Office of the Labour Commissioner received allegations from affected staff members of unfair dismissal and labour practices

    Source

    “Meanwhile, the affected staff members reportedly approached the Office of the Labour Commissioner late last year, alleging unfair dismissal and labour practices.”

    Cabinet cuts Monica Geingos’ post-office benefits and staff allocations
  6. April 2026

  7. The Namibian

    Office of the Labour Commissioner is the channel through which the minister can intervene in disputes when a dispute affects national interest

    Source

    “The minister can only come in when a dispute is considered to affect national interest, but through the Office of the Labour Commissioner, Shikongo said.”

    Employers’ federation warns of ‘growing’ ministerial role in labour disputes
  8. March 2026

  9. The Namibian

    Office of the Labour Commissioner received notice of intended retrenchment from Cheetah Cement on 2 March

    Source

    “We confirm that the Office of the Labour Commissioner received a notice of intended retrenchment from Cheetah Cement, received on 2 March.”

    Cheetah Cement retrenchment talks ongoing
  10. February 2026

  11. The Namibian

    Office of the Labour Commissioner found not guilty and granted arbitration award of N$295,026 to Johannes |Gaseb

    Source

    “The Office of the Labour Commissioner, which noted that the name of the victim on the charge sheet was incorrect, found him not guilty and granted an arbitration award of N$295 026 to be paid to |Gaseb, which the NBC has not paid.”

    We cannot disburse public money while owed – NBC after arbitration

  12. The Namibian

    Office of the Labour Commissioner awarded N$295 026 to Johannes Gaseb through arbitration

    Source

    “Gaseb filed for unfair dismissal with the Office of the Labour Commissioner, which awarded him N$295 026 through arbitration, to be paid on or before 20 November 2025.”

    NBC seeks High Court order to stop property sale linked to ex-employee dispute
  13. November 2025

  14. The Namibian

    Office of the Labour Commissioner received a dispute referral from workers employed by the City of Windhoek

    Source

    “The workers have referred a dispute with the City of Windhoek to the Office of the Labour Commissioner.”

    Court order agreed in case about city cleaners’ strike
Business

Namibian construction minimum wage rises to N$20.43 per hour

The News

New minimum wages and employment conditions for construction workers came into force on 1 September and will remain in place for two years. Labourers and general workers will earn a minimum of N$20.43 per hour in the first year, rising to N$21.45 per hour from 1 September 2027, with the agreement also requiring employers to provide protective equipment and setting productivity standards.

5 September 2026 · The Namibian →

Yesterday

  1. Namibian construction minimum wage rises to N$20.43 per hour

    New minimum wages and employment conditions for construction workers came into force on 1 September and will remain in place for two years. Labourers and general workers will earn a minimum of N$20.43 per hour in the first year, rising to N$21.45 per hour from 1 September 2027, with the agreement also requiring employers to provide protective equipment and setting productivity standards.

    5 September 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 14 August

  1. MUN reassures members on union recognition after RU arbitration award

    The Mineworkers Union of Namibia said a labour arbitration award in favour of the Revolutionary Union does not automatically affect MUN's recognition or bargaining rights at Rössing Uranium and Husab Mine. MUN general secretary George Ampweya stated the union remains the majority union at both operations and its status as recognised bargaining agent remains intact unless lawfully altered through statutory and contractual processes.

    14 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 12 August

  1. Unions, employers dispute minister's LAC nomination process

    Labour unions and employer organisations have accused justice and labour relations minister Wise Immanuel of attempting to unilaterally select representatives for the Labour Advisory Council. The groups say they have already submitted their preferred nominees according to established practice, but Immanuel has asked organisations entitled to three representatives to submit six names for him to choose from, and those entitled to one to submit two.

    12 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 22 July

  1. TotalEnergies faces worker backlash over take-it-or-leave-it contracts

    Namibian contract workers on TotalEnergies' offshore oil project say they were handed new employment terms on a 'take-it-or-leave-it' basis with no room to negotiate, citing concerns about no pension, limited medical aid, and years without salary increases. TotalEnergies and recruitment firm Apos deny wrongdoing, saying the new terms improve pay and benefits.

    22 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 20 July

  1. Labour Commissioner's office launches Standard Operating Procedures

    The Office of the Labour Commissioner has launched Standard Operating Procedures and highlighted progress in a Business Process Re-engineering initiative aimed at reducing backlogs and improving service delivery. Deputy Minister Brandt stated the SOPs were recommended by the International Labour Organization and seek to establish an efficient, transparent labour justice system centred on fair treatment across all regional offices.

    20 July 2026 · Informanté →

Thursday 16 July

  1. High Court postpones RFA appeal over dismissed employees

    The High Court has postponed judgment in the Road Fund Administration's appeal against an arbitration award that ordered the reinstatement of two dismissed employees and awarded them more than N$1.47 million in compensation until 11 September 2026. The RFA is challenging an arbitration finding that the dismissal of Winfred Kabunga and Naomi Mathews on 31 August 2021 was substantively unfair, with the arbitrator concluding the RFA failed to prove allegations of dishonesty, misrepresentation and gross negligence.

    16 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 15 July

  1. Tsumeb municipality appeals labour ruling for former firefighter

    Tsumeb Municipality is challenging a Labour Commissioner's ruling that ordered it to reinstate a former firefighter assistant and pay him N$108 000 in outstanding wages. The arbitrator found the dismissal procedurally unfair and ordered reinstatement from 1 May 2026 and payment by 28 May, but the municipality has not complied and plans to appeal to the High Court.

    15 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 13 July

  1. Labour Court remits Mulunga-Namcor dispute to arbitrator

    The Labour Court has referred a dispute between state-owned Namcor Petroleum Trading and Distribution and its former managing director Imms Mulunga back to arbitration, after ruling that an arbitrator wrongly dismissed the case in June. Mulunga was dismissed in August 2024 after being found not guilty in a disciplinary hearing, and Namcor subsequently referred claims against him for breach of contract and financial losses to the Labour Commissioner in October 2024.

    13 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Sunday 5 July

  1. Standard Bank Namibia workers threaten strike over wage dispute

    Standard Bank Namibia workers are threatening industrial action after wage negotiations collapsed, with the union demanding a 7% salary increase while the bank has offered 5%. The union accuses management of rewarding executives with bonuses while refusing to meaningfully improve staff salaries, despite the bank generating N$1.2 billion in profit.

    5 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 22 June

  1. Minister urges worker voices in policy and mineral beneficiation

    Justice and Labour Relations Minister Fillemon Wise Immanuel has called for workers' voices to be reflected in national policy and economic planning, stating that Namibia must move beyond exporting raw minerals to beneficiation and value addition to create sustainable employment. Speaking at a Mineworkers Union of Namibia regional meeting in Swakopmund, Immanuel said the country can no longer export raw minerals while importing finished products at higher value.

    22 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Friday 19 June

  1. Furnmart employees strike Monday over salary and housing demands

    The Metal and Allied Namibian Works Union announced that Furnmart & Home Corp Namibia employees will strike on Monday following a vote in which 467 of 630 voting employees supported the action over failed negotiations on salary increments and housing allowances. The workers demanded an 8% salary increase and N$500 housing allowance, while the company offered 5% and no housing allowance.

    19 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 12 May

  1. Cabinet cuts Monica Geingos' post-office benefits and allocations

    The Cabinet has reduced the benefits of former first lady Monica Geingos, limiting her to three household staff members and two state-sponsored vehicles effective 1 June, down from her current seven employees. The new policy applies to former first ladies whose husbands die before them, but does not affect founding first lady Kovambo Nujoma.

    12 May 2026 · The Namibian →

Sunday 19 April

  1. Labour Court dismisses Best Cheer workers' review on procedural grounds

    The Labour Court has struck from the roll an application by 53 former employees of Best Cheer Investments Namibia to review an unfair dismissal ruling, after finding they failed to serve the application within the required 30-day time period. Although the workers filed the application on time, they only served it on the relevant parties in April 2024, exceeding the deadline set by the Labour Act and court rules.

    19 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 9 April

  1. Employers' federation warns against ministerial overreach in labour disputes

    The Namibian Employers' Federation has raised concerns about increasing ministerial involvement in company-level labour disputes, arguing that direct engagement by the minister risks blurring institutional boundaries and undermining established legal processes under the Labour Act. Federation president Elia Shikongo called for reaffirmation of the roles of the minister, labour commissioner, and statutory dispute-resolution bodies to ensure clarity and credibility in labour relations.

    9 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 8 April

  1. NEF warns ministerial interference blurs labour dispute lines

    The Namibian Employers' Federation has cautioned against growing ministerial involvement in company-level labour disputes, arguing it undermines the Labour Act's structured mechanisms and threatens institutional credibility. The NEF cited the Tsumeb Smelter case as a precedent and warned that ad hoc political intervention risks weakening Namibia's rules-based labour system and tripartite governance model.

    8 April 2026 · New Era →

Saturday 4 April

  1. Employers' Federation warns ministerial role blurs labour dispute processes

    The Namibian Employers' Federation has raised concerns over growing ministerial involvement in company-level labour disputes, warning it risks undermining established legal processes and institutional boundaries. The federation's president cited the Sinomine Tsumeb Smelter case as an example where ministerial intervention halted restructuring before formal dispute-resolution mechanisms had concluded.

    4 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 26 March

  1. 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 →

Saturday 14 March

  1. Mariental Municipality employees demand salary increase

    Staff at Mariental Municipality protested against being excluded from a recent government pay increment for civil servants, demanding a 3% salary increase. Union leaders warned they would escalate the matter to the Labour Commissioner if the municipality does not address their concerns within seven working days.

    14 March 2026 · Informanté →

Thursday 12 March

  1. Roads Authority CEO proceeds with dismissals despite legal warnings

    The Roads Authority's independent lawyer warned CEO Hippy Tjivikua against dismissing two senior executives over a N$16 million vehicle procurement tender, citing serious procedural errors in the disciplinary process that could result in labour disputes. Tjivikua proceeded with the dismissals anyway; the fired executives have appealed, arguing the process was flawed.

    12 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 10 March

  1. Namib Mills ready to conclude wage agreement with workers

    Namib Mills and the Namibia Revolutionary Transport and Manufacturing Union have made meaningful progress in wage negotiations and reached broad agreement on substantive wage issues, but talks have stalled after the union introduced items outside the scope of the dispute. The industrial action, which began in January 2026 after months of failed negotiations, involved nearly 700 workers across multiple depots demanding higher wages, housing and transport allowances, and full December bonuses.

    10 March 2026 · New Era →

Wednesday 25 February

  1. NBC resists paying arbitration award to former dismissed employee

    The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation is refusing to pay a labour commissioner's arbitration award of N$295,000 to former employee Johannes |Gaseb, citing that he owes the company approximately N$300,000 under a housing loan settlement agreement. NBC has filed an urgent court application seeking an interdict against the execution of the award, with the matter due for hearing on 20 March.

    25 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 20 February

  1. NBC seeks court order to block property sale in employee dispute

    The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation has applied for a High Court interdict to stop the sale of its property following a dispute with former employee Johannes Gaseb, who won an arbitration award of N$295 026 for unfair dismissal. NBC claims Gaseb owes the company N$186 000 from a 2013 housing loan guarantee and seeks to set off this debt against the amount it owes him.

    20 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 2 February

  1. Namib Mills and union reach partial wage agreement

    Namib Mills and the Namibian Revolutionary Transport and Manufacturing Union reached a partial agreement on wages after a three-week strike involving over 95% of workers, with the minister's mediation securing agreement on yearly salary boosts, salary adjustments, and allowances; three issues remain unresolved.

    2 February 2026 · New Era →

Monday 19 January

  1. Namib Mills offers 10% pay rise amid ongoing strike

    Namib Mills has offered employees a 10% salary increment, which the company says is three times the inflation rate, but falls short of the union's demand for a 36% increase. Workers have entered their seventh day of striking while the company has implemented a lockout, with disputes over salary equity and allegations of strike rule violations.

    19 January 2026 · New Era →

Monday 12 January

  1. Namib Mills workers strike over wages, company locks out staff

    Workers at Namib Mills began striking on Monday after 683 of 710 employees voted to walk out in a wage dispute with management. The company has implemented a temporary lockout, with both sides having engaged the Labour Commissioner; Namib Mills says it remains willing to negotiate and has activated contingency plans to maintain food production.

    12 January 2026 · New Era →

Office of the Labour Commissioner — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute