Guards without pay for months

SECURITY guards at Nkasa Security Services say they have not been paid for the past three to six months.

The guards are stationed at the University of Namibia’s southern campus at Keetmanshoop, as well as the Keetmanshoop State Hospital.

They staged a protest last Wednesday, demanding that the company’s management pay them by last Friday or risk being taken to the Labour Court.

Spokesperson for the group Eric Appolus last week said they were informed the Ministry of Health and Social Services paid the company an amount of N$200 000 on 7 October, but they are still to receive their outstanding salaries.

“We have been coming to work without payment for months, and are being labelled Harambee workers as we cannot pay our rent or feed our children,” said Appolus.

Claudia van der Merwe, one of the guards, said she and her family have been evicted twice from their home because she cannot pay the rent.

Van der Merwe said the company owes her three months’ salary.

“We work without salaries, uniforms or contracts. Only because we hope to get something to put food on the table,” she said.

During the protest, the guards also complained about a fee of N$250 that is deducted from their payment when they do not show up for work without informing their supervisors.

This is while they earn N$105 per day, they say.

Katherine Jones, who has been persevering with the company for two and a half years, said the group of guards at Keetmanshoop have no contracts, and when they call the company’s head office in Windhoek, there is no record of them.

She said an amount of money is deducted from their salaries towards social security, yet they are not registered at the Social Security Commission.

Jones said many colleagues have left the company due to the various issues.

“I earn N$3 300 per month, but with all the deductions I mostly get N$1 800. Even though I have been serving the longest, I earn the same salary as newcomers, because there is no development here,” she said.

The guards also questioned what company manager Richard Makini and supervisor Manoah Charles are doing with money that is allegedly paid for members who have left the company’s services years ago.

Makini this week admitted that the company owes the guards money, and that they are working without contracts.

He said the company receives the ministry’s payment late and therefore cannot pay the workers on time.

“We as a management are also facing challenges. We do not have reserves, we only receive the money once it is paid into the account of our head office, and that is a serious challenge,” Makini said.

Charles yesterday said the lack of contracts needs to be addressed by the company’s head office.

“But we can assure you you will receive your salaries for August and May tomorrow [today],” he said.

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