N$4.9m paid to 258 Govt employees injured on duty

The government has paid N$4.9 million to civil servants who sustained injuries or contracted occupational diseases during the 2025/26 financial year.

This was done in terms of the Employee Compensation Act, 1941. The Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations, through the department of labour relations, is mandated to cover compensation for all government employees who sustain injuries.

Compensation includes medical transportation, medical expenses and pensions. Technical assessments and calculations are conducted by the Social Security Commission, while payments are effected by the ministry.

Prime minister Elijah Ngurare disclosed this on Wednesday while tabling the labour budget, which received N$231 million for the 2026/27 fiscal year.

“During the period under review up to February 2026, an amount of N$4.9 million was paid to 258 beneficiaries as monthly benefits, while N$903 058 was paid for medical expenses and/or reimbursements,” he said.

An amount of N$4.3 million, Ngurare said, was paid to the Social Security Commission to cover administration fees.

Ngurare said progress has been made in developing the occupational safety and health bill. This includes public consultations with stakeholders to broaden understanding and buy-in on the proposed legislation. He added that the bill is at an advanced stage.

A total of 4 780 labour dispute cases were handled during the period under review, including 1 989 carried over from previous financial years.

Of these, 2 530 were resolved, with 63% settled through conciliation and 37% through arbitration, while 2 250 cases remain pending.

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