A STUDY done by The Namibian yesterday revealed that Namibians have to fork out more than N$1 000 per hour for certain professional services.
One law firm in Windhoek, which offers a wide range of services, charges N$1 500 for a consultation, while another charges slightly less – N$1 000. A less well-known law firm in the capital offers a consultation at N$750.The Law Society of Namibia prescribes hourly rates ranging from N$400 to N$1 706.For a filling at a dentist, one can expect to pay up to N$1 500, while a dentist in Windhoek charges N$180 and one in Swakopmund N$170 for a general consultation. To have a brighter smile, one has to pay up to N$380 for scaling and polishing.If one fancies having a new building designed by a leading local architect, one should be prepared to part with about N$1 200 for an hour’s consultation.For the auditing of a relatively simple business, one needs to budget for close to N$1 000 per hour. If your books are in a bit of a mess, the hourly tariff could shoot up to more than N$2 000 an hour.Shortly on the auditors’ heels are engineers. An hour’s face to face leaves a dent of N$890 in one’s pocket.A gynaecologist in Windhoek charges N$1 400 for a consultation, whereas a visit to a psychiatrist in the capital could set one back N$1 271. A Swakopmund-based psychologist charges slightly less per hour – N$563,80.Should the pawpaw strike the fan in one’s toilet, a plumber’s home visit could cost up to N$340 excluding value-added tax (VAT).For a standard service of a luxury vehicle like a Volvo, the hourly rate could be up to N$470 per hour excluding VAT.
