[Namibia] Delay of Statistics Agency payments considered illegal

In Namibia, there have been complaints raised by enumerators about delayed pay and threats to demonstrate if the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) fails to pay them, The Namibian reports.

Herbert Jauch - a labour analyst - told The Namibian the country’s labour law clearly states that if someone is employed for a short-term contract they should be paid on the last day on which they provided services.

“Just like other companies in the country, they are guided by the Namibian Labour Act. The delay in payment of the enumerators is completely illegal and socially unacceptable. On the last day when the enumerators performed their work, they had to be paid, according to the law,” Mr Jauch said.

The impact of the payment delays is reportedly severe because the majority of those contracted were unemployed graduates.

A group of Census enumerators attended the NSA head office on November 22 to express their frustrations. They said enumerators from three regions are yet to be paid after the NSA recruited about 11,500 enumerators for the National Population and Housing Census, which concluded on November 9.

Fransina David - one of the enumerators - is a student and mother of four. She told The Namibian that the group simply wants to get the money they worked hard for.

“I have run into serious debt after waiting for this money, we don’t want to be forced to do horrible things but we don’t know what we will do if they do not give us our money within two weeks,” Ms David said.

She reportedly accused the NSA of making “fake” promises.

Louisa Shimbode - an unemployed psychology graduate - told The Namibian that she is frustrated and highly disappointed after three months of payment delays.

Iipumbu Sakaria - NSA spokesperson - stated that the cause of the payment delay is the verification process.

“NSA took in approximately 13,000 contract staff and they need to ensure that it pays the correct people the correct amounts.”

He said they have added additional manpower to assist in the administration and verification processes.

“As for all NSA projects, enumerators are paid what is due to them and that will not change,” Mr Sakaria said.

Alex Shimuafeni - the NSA statistician general - reportedly said that payments are being processed and will take under two weeks.

The 2023 Population and Housing Census officially started on September 24.

Source: The Namibian

(Quotes via original reporting)

In Namibia, there have been complaints raised by enumerators about delayed pay and threats to demonstrate if the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) fails to pay them, The Namibian reports.

Herbert Jauch - a labour analyst - told The Namibian the country’s labour law clearly states that if someone is employed for a short-term contract they should be paid on the last day on which they provided services.

“Just like other companies in the country, they are guided by the Namibian Labour Act. The delay in payment of the enumerators is completely illegal and socially unacceptable. On the last day when the enumerators performed their work, they had to be paid, according to the law,” Mr Jauch said.

The impact of the payment delays is reportedly severe because the majority of those contracted were unemployed graduates.

A group of Census enumerators attended the NSA head office on November 22 to express their frustrations. They said enumerators from three regions are yet to be paid after the NSA recruited about 11,500 enumerators for the National Population and Housing Census, which concluded on November 9.

Fransina David - one of the enumerators - is a student and mother of four. She told The Namibian that the group simply wants to get the money they worked hard for.

“I have run into serious debt after waiting for this money, we don’t want to be forced to do horrible things but we don’t know what we will do if they do not give us our money within two weeks,” Ms David said.

She reportedly accused the NSA of making “fake” promises.

Louisa Shimbode - an unemployed psychology graduate - told The Namibian that she is frustrated and highly disappointed after three months of payment delays.

Iipumbu Sakaria - NSA spokesperson - stated that the cause of the payment delay is the verification process.

“NSA took in approximately 13,000 contract staff and they need to ensure that it pays the correct people the correct amounts.”

He said they have added additional manpower to assist in the administration and verification processes.

“As for all NSA projects, enumerators are paid what is due to them and that will not change,” Mr Sakaria said.

Alex Shimuafeni - the NSA statistician general - reportedly said that payments are being processed and will take under two weeks.

The 2023 Population and Housing Census officially started on September 24.

Source: The Namibian

(Quotes via original reporting)