Security guards themselves not protected, says LPM member of parliament

Landless People’s Movement parliamentarian Utaara Mootu has called for a parliamentary investigation into the working and living conditions of security guards, while questioning whether workers who protect Namibia are adequately protected themselves.

Mootu says the investigation should focus on wages, job security, benefits, occupational safety, social protection, unfair dismissal and delays in accessing labour justice.

She tabled a motion on security guards’ work situation in the National Assembly on Tuesday.

Across Namibia, Mootu said, security guards protect schools, hospitals, businesses, homes and government institutions.

They further work long hours, at night, over weekends and on public holidays, yet many continue to struggle to secure decent livelihoods.

In 2017, the security industry adopted a collective agreement aimed at addressing the exploitation of security officers. It provided for labour inspections, penalties for non-compliance and protection against victimisation, while committing the parties to discussing housing and transport allowances and pension contributions.

Mootu questioned what happened to those commitments nearly a decade later.

“What happened to those commitments?” she asked.

She wants parliament to investigate compliance with wages and employment conditions, complaints before the labour commissioner and delays in resolving disputes, unfair dismissals and victimisation, workplace injuries and deaths, and access to social security, employees’ compensation, pensions and health benefits.

The investigation should also establish whether companies receiving government and private security contracts comply with Namibia’s labour laws.

“Security guards protect Namibia every day. But who protects them?” Mootu said.

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