The new minimum wage for entry-level security guards was highlighted as one of the main issues that kept the Security Association of Namibia (SAN) busy at its recent annual general meeting.

Just a year ago, the industry faced a crippling national strike by guards fed up with the N$2,09 an hour they earned for the 12-hour shifts they were putting in.

The first revision since then became effective on September 1 last year, and saw the guards' wages increase to N$3 per hour.

The next increase, according to SAN president Dries Kannemeyer, should be effective by March 1 next year.

Kannemeyer said on Friday that he was proud to have avoided last year's strike, which he acknowledged "could have had disastrous consequences for the industry and the country in general".

Since the previous increase, three security companies had their SAN membership cancelled after it was established that they were not paying the minimum wage, he said.

Kannemeyer also noted with concern the establishment of a new security association, which is expected to act as opposition to the SAN.

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