Chinese builders ‘not only culprits’

Chinese builders ‘not only culprits’

THE Labour Advisory Council is still considering a report compiled by labour inspectors on the construction industry, which alleged that several companies, including Chinese firms, pay workers less than minimum wages and do not register employees at the Social Security Commission.

The Namibian carried a story on Monday on the reaction of the Construction Industries Federation of Namibia (CIF) to the report and the findings of the document published in this newspaper recently. The Labour Advisory Council said it only received the report from the Ministry of Labour on March 8, Labour Commissioner Bro-Matthew Shinguadja told this newspaper on Monday.”The next Council meeting will take place after Easter and the report on the construction industry will be discussed and recommendations will be made,” he said.The LAC is a tripartite body with officials from the Ministry, labour unions and the employers’ federation serving on it.Chinese building contractors were not the only ones contravening laws and regulations, Shinguadja added.”Sub-contractors are the main culprits when it comes to non-compliance with payment of minimum wages and social security benefits,” he said.”They have no fixed addresses; we call them briefcase companies.There are no foreign sub-contractors, only Namibian ones,” he added.Laws needed to be strengthened to rein culprits in, the Labour Commissioner said.”The main contractor is held liable when a sub-contractor like an electrician or a plumber defaults,” he added.The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Uitala Hiveluah, said labour inspectors issue compliance orders to companies, including the construction sector.”If they pick up that no SSC payments are made, they pass this information on to the SCC and action is taken.”Hiveluah also confirmed the Labour Commissioner’s view that not only Chinese builders were negligent in their duties.”You also find names of big Namibian companies,” she said yesterday.Asked to comment on the CIF criticism that Government was too soft on Chinese companies operating in Namibia, Hiveluah said “No, I cannot share this view.Our labour inspectors take action against any defaulters.”The Labour Advisory Council said it only received the report from the Ministry of Labour on March 8, Labour Commissioner Bro-Matthew Shinguadja told this newspaper on Monday.”The next Council meeting will take place after Easter and the report on the construction industry will be discussed and recommendations will be made,” he said.The LAC is a tripartite body with officials from the Ministry, labour unions and the employers’ federation serving on it.Chinese building contractors were not the only ones contravening laws and regulations, Shinguadja added.”Sub-contractors are the main culprits when it comes to non-compliance with payment of minimum wages and social security benefits,” he said.”They have no fixed addresses; we call them briefcase companies.There are no foreign sub-contractors, only Namibian ones,” he added.Laws needed to be strengthened to rein culprits in, the Labour Commissioner said.”The main contractor is held liable when a sub-contractor like an electrician or a plumber defaults,” he added.The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Uitala Hiveluah, said labour inspectors issue compliance orders to companies, including the construction sector.”If they pick up that no SSC payments are made, they pass this information on to the SCC and action is taken.”Hiveluah also confirmed the Labour Commissioner’s view that not only Chinese builders were negligent in their duties.”You also find names of big Namibian companies,” she said yesterday.Asked to comment on the CIF criticism that Government was too soft on Chinese companies operating in Namibia, Hiveluah said “No, I cannot share this view.Our labour inspectors take action against any defaulters.”

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