Council approves 5% salary increase

THE Windhoek City Council has approved a five per cent across-the-board increase in basic salaries for its employees.

The decision was deferred in July at the request of opposition members of the Council, who said they received the agenda item in less than the prescribed 72 hours before the monthly Council meeting. The decision was taken during a special City Council meeting on August 14, but was only announced yesterday.The increase will push up the City’s wage bill for this financial year by over N$14,2 million and the ratepayers have to foot the bill.The salary hikes for its 1 658 employees inflated the City’s annual wage bill to N$347 million and are backdated to July 1.The increases will be financed through assessment rates.”The decision was taken after Council considered objective realities and the socio-economic context within which the City of Windhoek as a local authority operates,” the short statement sent out by the municipality said yesterday.The Council’s management committee said the salary increases kept pace with the annual inflation rate of approximately five per cent.The Ministry of Local and Regional Government sanctioned the salary increases.Salaries account for around 35 per cent of the Council’s total operational costs.Last year’s pay hikes came to N$19,4 million when employees’ housing benefits were upped by as much as 33 per cent, depending on their basic salaries.The decision was taken during a special City Council meeting on August 14, but was only announced yesterday.The increase will push up the City’s wage bill for this financial year by over N$14,2 million and the ratepayers have to foot the bill.The salary hikes for its 1 658 employees inflated the City’s annual wage bill to N$347 million and are backdated to July 1.The increases will be financed through assessment rates.”The decision was taken after Council considered objective realities and the socio-economic context within which the City of Windhoek as a local authority operates,” the short statement sent out by the municipality said yesterday.The Council’s management committee said the salary increases kept pace with the annual inflation rate of approximately five per cent.The Ministry of Local and Regional Government sanctioned the salary increases.Salaries account for around 35 per cent of the Council’s total operational costs.Last year’s pay hikes came to N$19,4 million when employees’ housing benefits were upped by as much as 33 per cent, depending on their basic salaries.