Three unions gathered at the Omusati Regional Council on Saturday to reject a 5% salary increase for public servants and the 100% cover for Public Service Employees Medical Aid Scheme (Psemas).
Omusati teachers’ union chairperson Petrus Shiweva has expressed disappointment to Omusati governor Immanuel Shikongo.
Shikongo was not at the office to meet the unions, but is aware of their concerns.
“As demonstrators we are disappointed in the governor as some have travelled from far to come and give this petition,” Shiweva says.
The petition rejects the ‘Vision April 2026’ proposal, which would require all Psemas members to be treated at public health facilities. They claim this threatens workers’ rights and freedom of choice in accessing healthcare.
“The choice of seeking and receiving medical treatment ought to depend on the individual,” the petition says.
The petition submitted by the Teachers Union of Namibia, the Public Service Union of Namibia and the Namibia National Nurses Union argues that the policy would compel civil servants to seek medical treatment exclusively at designated state health facilities.
According to the unions, this move would undermine fundamental freedoms.
They further caution that enforcing where citizens can access healthcare mirrors systems found in “totalitarian, despotic and autocratic” states, a direction they say Namibia must avoid going.
The unions have also raised concern over the lack of consultation, arguing that changes affecting conditions of employment must go through proper social dialogue as required by law.
As part of their demands, the unions have called on the government to immediately halt the implementation of ‘Vision April 2026’ and subject the matter to proper consultation in line with the Labour Act and international conventions.
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