Some enumerators, who are currently involved in the 2023 National Population and Housing Census, say they have not been fully paid their allowances about a month after the exercise has commenced.
The enumerators are accusing the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) of failing to pay their allowances.
The NSA has recruited about 11 500 enumerators.
Some enumerators, who prefer to remain anonymous, say they have been promised allowances for training and enumeration every month, but so far they have not received any payment.
“There is an issue with our payment, and the NSA is exploiting us. We have done our field work, and so far we have only received partial payment.
“We were supposed to receive our full field allowance, but they are telling us the money will only be paid next week or so. Some of us were staying in the bush and accommodated in people’s houses.
“We need to pay for water and electricity, and some people even borrowed money to travel. The people that accommodated us are now demanding payment, but the NSA is not doing anything to assist us.
“NSA sent us an SMS saying we must borrow money and pay those people,” one enumerator says.
He says some enumerators’ NSA property, such as tablets and other items, have been confiscated by their landlords due to not being able to pay their rent.
“Every time when it comes to our payment, there are long stories. We are tired and we want our money. We are fed up because they cannot stick to the agreement we signed.
“On the side of NSA, everything is going well and looking good, but we are being exploited and treated badly,” the enumerator says.
A senior official at the NSA said the NSA does not exploit workers, and the delay in training and enumeration allowances is an administrative matter which should be resolved soonest.
“The NSA is dealing with a huge number of enumerators, and it is possible that some are still awaiting their allowances. The vast majority should be sorted out already, and those who did not get theirs, will get theirs soonest.
“Everybody will get what is due to them,” he said.
He, however, could not reveal what enumerators’ allowances involve, saying it is confidential.
He said the NSA appreciates all enumerators and staff seconded to the census.
“Without them this would not be possible, and we urge the nation to give our enumerators their full support in finalising the census.”
The 2023 Population and Housing Census officially started on 24 September and will conclude on 3 November.
A census in Namibia is held every 10 years.
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