Security guards' salary battle drags on

Aggrieved security guards employed by CIS Security Services in Rundu have once again expressed their frustration as their battle for unpaid salaries has continued for over two years - with no end in sight.Despite efforts to bring attention to the issue, the guards find themselves trapped in a seemingly endless cycle of financial hardship. Many of them now struggle to make ends meet, facing the harsh consequences of prolonged unpaid wages, which they claim amount to a total of more than N$400 000.Last year, a group staged a protest - led by the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEEF) - after the company allegedly failed to pay them for three months.They also claimed that the company did not issue salary slips, except for paper cuttings sporting only employee names and amounts owed, written in pen.Struggle to survive “I am already struggling to feed my family with the N$8.75 we get paid per hour. Every day I come to work on time, ready to do my work and hoping that this issue will change. Two of my children are supposed to start at the University of Namibia, but unfortunately, I cannot afford their tuition fees, which breaks my heart,” a guard employed by the company said. Another guard, who also chose to speak on condition of anonymity, added: “Last year, we protested against the company, demanding our money, but till this day we still haven’t received the full amount for the seven months that went unpaid in 2022 as well as the six months in 2023"."The salary that we received now, at the end of January 2024, was that of last year November. Despite the money already owed to us, the company continues being inconsistent with paying our salaries, increasing the amount owed to us even more. Whenever we try asking for our money, we are told that the door is open for whoever is unhappy and wants to leave."Following an alleged lack of response from the company, the guards filed a case with the labour commissioner in January 2023.However, their hopes of a swift resolution have been crushed as the investigation appears to have stalled. Despite a request for an update on the case, at the time of publication, none had been received. Attempts to reach CIS Security Services owner Ignatius Chunga proved futile.- nikanor@erongo.com.na

Security guards' salary battle drags on

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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Security guards' salary battle drags on

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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