Labour deputy minister Tommy Nambahu has warned security companies against the exploitation of security guards, and requested them to pay the minimum wage.
He made the call on Thursday during a visit to the Oshakati labour office, where he met with employers, different stakeholders and staff members of the labour ministry.
Nambahu was responding to a concern by Jaco Potgieter of Oshana Security, who told the minister that although the minimum wage was gazetted last year, only a few companies have implemented it.
As a result, Potgieter said he was losing clients and employees to companies who do not comply with the fees set in the Government Gazette.
"I have lost about 80 employees, and I know I will continue to lose more. This is not just about the minimum wage requirements, but it also includes other benefits such as maternity leave. I want to see action taken as it seems some people are untouchable or connected," he told Nambahu.
The deputy minister told Potgieter that the issue would be addressed, while directing the labour inspectors to bring him evidence of the claims.
The politician said what is more frustrating is that the people who are "untouchable" are the same people who still get tenders despite not complying with the minimum wage conditions.
"Labour inspectors, you are not reading your act properly. I would like you to investigate and go deeper. Are you going that far, colleagues? I am sorry to point out that you are not following the law to the end," he told the Oshana control labour inspectors who were in attendance.
Nambahu said the inspectors would most of the time leave the elephant in the room and go after the weaker guy, leaving some cases uninvestigated.
He also took a swipe at employers, whom he said engage in double standards as they live a comfortable life while they pay their employees peanuts.
"How can you be driving a Ferrari, and your employee is sleeping in a shack? Yet, every Sunday, you have the black book in your hands. That is how hypocritical we are," the deputy minister stressed.
Currently, the minimum wage for entry-level security officers stands at N$8,75 per hour. This was effective from l January 2017. As of July last year, the minimum wage for all security officers who have, at that time, been employed with their current employer for a cumulative period of no less than 12 months, should be N$10 per hour.
"Should an employee neglect to return his uniform in full, and/or return it in a dilapidated condition, then he/she will be held responsible for the total cost of the uniform pieces not returned. Failure to return any uniform piece can lead to legal action. The same applies to employers if he/she fails to refund in full the deposit on the uniform upon the return of the full set," the act reads.
