Security guards working in the construction sector must be paid at least the national minimum wage, despite a lower rate contained in the construction sector’s new collective agreement.
The Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations clarified the matter on Friday after new minimum wages and employment conditions for construction workers came into force on 1 September. The agreement will remain in place for two years.
Acting executive director of justice and labour relations Aune Ndjandjima says the collective agreement between the Construction Industries Federation of Namibia (CIF) and the Metal and Allied Namibian Workers Union (Manwu) sets the security guard wage at N$153.88 per 12-hour shift in the first year and N$161.57 in the second year.
She says this works out to about N$12.82 per hour in the first year and N$13.46 in the second year. Ndjandjima, however, added that these rates are below the national minimum wage for security workers.
She says the national minimum wage must take priority when a collective agreement offers workers a lower wage.
This means security guards working in the construction sector must earn at least N$16 per ordinary hour in 2026. The rate will increase to N$18 per ordinary hour from 1 January 2027.
The ministry says employers must not use the lower security guard wage contained in the construction collective agreement.
Ndjandjima says the ministry is addressing the difference and will correct the provision through the appropriate process. Until then, the higher national minimum wage remains in force.
