City employees demand better salaries, reforms
In a petition submitted on Friday, City of Windhoek employees demanded better salaries and reforms within the organisation – giving the municipality a fortnight to respond.
Representing the Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu), Elia Haindongo submitted the petition to Faniel Maanda, in the absence of City CEO Moses Matyayi.
Haindongo said the City’s employees have been without salary increments for four consecutive years, despite the ever-increasing cost of living.
“The repo rate has increased to 7.75 basis, which is expected to go up again. The interest rate went up four times this year alone, with fuel increasing six times.”
He added that the August inflation rate was 6%, whereas annual inflation stands at 5.3%, and stressed that the consumer price index for food in Namibia increased from 163.01 points in July to 163.31 in August.
“The City of Windhoek increased rates and taxes by 4.5% and electricity by 8.6%, impacting the employees’ subsistence and transport costs,” he said.
Demands
According to the petition, the employees want the municipality to act on their already-submitted salary increment for the financial year 2023/24, while they also demanded free parking for City employees who are not allocated parking spaces and the permanent appointment of fixed-contract employees.
They urged the City’s management to stop outsourcing services when there is well-established internal capacity able to handle these tasks and called for an end to unfair labour practices.
The group also wants the municipality to implement cost-cutting measures to improve the organisation’s overall stability and ability to sustain employee welfare by ceasing unnecessary expenses like overseas travel for councillors.
The aggrieved employees demanded that the City discipline “corrupt managers and senior executives” by not taking allegations of nepotism and corruption lightly, further insisting on strong disciplinary measures against culprits.
“Investigations into allegations of corruption for appropriate action should be done in a tripartite fashion to ensure transparency and impartiality,” the petition read.
“We stand firmly united and committed to the success of the City of Windhoek in its provision of services to the living and transiting citizens of the city.”
Representing the Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu), Elia Haindongo submitted the petition to Faniel Maanda, in the absence of City CEO Moses Matyayi.
Haindongo said the City’s employees have been without salary increments for four consecutive years, despite the ever-increasing cost of living.
“The repo rate has increased to 7.75 basis, which is expected to go up again. The interest rate went up four times this year alone, with fuel increasing six times.”
He added that the August inflation rate was 6%, whereas annual inflation stands at 5.3%, and stressed that the consumer price index for food in Namibia increased from 163.01 points in July to 163.31 in August.
“The City of Windhoek increased rates and taxes by 4.5% and electricity by 8.6%, impacting the employees’ subsistence and transport costs,” he said.
Demands
According to the petition, the employees want the municipality to act on their already-submitted salary increment for the financial year 2023/24, while they also demanded free parking for City employees who are not allocated parking spaces and the permanent appointment of fixed-contract employees.
They urged the City’s management to stop outsourcing services when there is well-established internal capacity able to handle these tasks and called for an end to unfair labour practices.
The group also wants the municipality to implement cost-cutting measures to improve the organisation’s overall stability and ability to sustain employee welfare by ceasing unnecessary expenses like overseas travel for councillors.
The aggrieved employees demanded that the City discipline “corrupt managers and senior executives” by not taking allegations of nepotism and corruption lightly, further insisting on strong disciplinary measures against culprits.
“Investigations into allegations of corruption for appropriate action should be done in a tripartite fashion to ensure transparency and impartiality,” the petition read.
“We stand firmly united and committed to the success of the City of Windhoek in its provision of services to the living and transiting citizens of the city.”
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