By Emda Fourie, Head of Employee Benefits, Momentum Corporate

Financial security is no longer just about retirement—it’s about resilience throughout life. Rising living costs, evolving family structures, and longer lifespans mean that financial planning must address both the present and the future. What happens during a person’s working years is just as important as what happens after retirement.

Employee benefits are central to this conversation. Too often underestimated or misunderstood, they provide practical protection for working Namibians and their families. When well-designed and clearly communicated, these benefits help individuals navigate both expected and unexpected events without falling into financial distress.

The Power of Collective Structures

Globally, pooled retirement arrangements improve access to financial security. In Namibia, umbrella funds allow multiple employers to share a single retirement and risk benefit framework. This simplifies administration, reduces costs, and gives employees a consistent savings mechanism.

For many households, monthly retirement contributions are the only disciplined long-term savings they have. Combined with professional investment management, these contributions create the foundation for financial independence later in life. For families who support multiple generations, this independence has a ripple effect—easing financial pressure on children and relatives.

How Much Is Enough?

A widely accepted benchmark is to retire on a pension equal to 75% of pre-retirement income. Achieving this requires:

• Contributing 15%–20% of income consistently over 30–40 years
• Earning investment returns of at least CPI + 5%
• Accumulating capital equal to 16–18 times your final annual salary

These figures highlight why starting early and maintaining contributions are critical.

A Safety Net for Life’s Harder Moments

Retirement savings are only part of the picture. Risk benefits—such as death, disability, and funeral cover—provide essential protection when life takes an unexpected turn.

• Death benefits help families cope financially after losing a breadwinner.
• Disability benefits ensure income continues when illness or injury prevents work.
• Funeral benefits cover immediate costs, reducing stress during a time of grief.

Without these benefits, many households would rely on high-interest debt or extended family support, creating additional strain during already difficult circumstances.

The Human Side of Funeral Benefits

Among risk benefits, funeral cover is often the most valued. Funerals in Namibia carry emotional weight and significant costs. A benefit that pays quickly is more than financial help—it provides dignity and relief, allowing families to focus on mourning rather than money.

Claims Tell the Real Story

Industry data shows millions paid annually in death and disability claims across employee benefit schemes in Namibia. Behind every claim is a personal story: a spouse rebuilding life after loss, a worker adjusting to disability, a family navigating grief. These stories remind us that employee benefits are not abstract deductions on a payslip; they are lifelines when families need them most.

A National Opportunity

Namibia has an opportunity to strengthen its financial well-being by prioritising employee benefits. They reduce pressure on families, support workers through unexpected events, and encourage long-term savings. A financially secure employee is also a more productive employee—meaning businesses benefit too.

Employers should implement robust benefit programs and ensure employees understand them. In doing so, we build a more financially resilient society.

A Call for Greater Awareness

Employee benefits are not a substitute for personal financial planning, but they are an essential part of it. They offer stability during uncertainty and support long-term independence. The more people understand these benefits, the better equipped they are to make informed decisions—even under the harshest circumstances.

As financial pressures evolve, raising awareness is not just helpful—it is essential for the well-being of individuals, families, and the broader Namibian community.

By Hosea Shishiveni

When Her Excellency President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah announced the new Cabinet on 22 March this year, many Namibians celebrated the long-awaited reduction of ministries and executive structures. For years, citizens had called for a leaner government that could reduce administrative costs, cut wasteful expenditure, and channel public resources to urgent priorities such as economic growth, youth employment, and poverty alleviation. The contrast between the previous administration of 2020–2024 and the current 2025–2030 leadership is already noticeable: a leaner government structure, reduced administrative spending, and a clear political commitment to fiscal prudence. For the first time in many years, citizens felt that the presidency was listening to their cries for a smaller, more effective Cabinet. For this, the President deserves commendation.

However, amid the optimism brought about by a streamlined government, one decision continues to generate concern and discomfort among many citizens: the merging of the Ministry of Justice with the Ministry of Labour, Employment Creation and Labour Relations. This merger, though perhaps driven by intentions of efficiency, has created structural and functional challenges that now call for urgent reconsideration.

I was fortunate enough to personally engage former Minister of Labour, Hon. Utoni Nujoma, seeking his perspective on the merger. His response was frank and sincere. He expressed doubt about the practicality and long-term success of the arrangement, noting that while both ministries operate within the sphere of law, they deal with fundamentally different legal realms, constituencies, and daily realities. His concern is shared by many labour experts, trade unionists, and workers across the country who believe the merger has unintentionally weakened both service delivery and accountability.

The question is not whether the current minister, Hon. Fillemon Immanuel, is competent. He is a highly skilled professional with an admirable track record and deep knowledge of law and governance. His leadership qualities are well-recognized. The challenge lies in the sheer complexity of combining two heavy, highly sensitive, and demanding portfolios each requiring full-time attention, specialized expertise, and constant engagement with stakeholders.

Justice alone is a mammoth task. It demands oversight of the judiciary, constitutional affairs, human rights, legal reforms, correctional services, and international legal obligations. Labour, on the other hand, demands continuous fieldwork, inspections, dispute resolution, engagement with vulnerable workers, regulation of employer conduct, and constant dialogue with unions and industry. Expecting one minister to effectively deliver on both mandates compromises quality, responsiveness, and focus.

The Ministry of Labour, in particular, has long struggled with backlogs, limited enforcement capacity, and internal leadership deficiencies. The Office of the Labour Commissioner is overwhelmed by thousands of unresolved disputes, some pending for years. Workers continue to wait endlessly for justice from the labour court, and many cases collapse due to delays, administrative confusion, or lack of follow-up. This situation is worsening under the merged structure because labour-specific issues now receive less dedicated attention.

Meanwhile, the Namibian labour market remains deeply unequal. Workers in sectors such as security, construction, charcoal production, agriculture, retail, manufacturing, and domestic service continue to face exploitation, low wages, unsafe working conditions, intimidation, and unfair labour practices. Many employees do not receive basic benefits. Some are dismissed without due process. Cases of physical assault, unfair suspensions, and even shootings have been reported in the media. These industries require a minister who has walked the journey of ordinary workers someone who understands union struggles, grassroots frustrations, and the lived realities of Namibia’s working poor.

Corporate environments such as UNAM or NSFAF, where compliance structures and benefits are well established, do not reflect what is happening in factories, farms, fuel stations, or households. A minister responsible for labour must therefore be a hands-on figure visible on the ground, conducting site visits, engaging workers directly, confronting abusive employers, and strengthening inspectorate operations. Namibia once had powerful voices like the late Alfred Angula, a trade unionist who defended the voiceless with courage and conviction. Today, that level of passion and activism is missing within the ministry because the structural design does not allow it.

For these reasons, I respectfully appeal to the president to review and reverse the merger. Splitting the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Labour will strengthen performance, restore accountability, and improve service delivery. Hon. Immanuel Fillemon should remain at Justice, where his expertise and discipline are most needed. Labour, however, needs a new minister one with grassroots experience, union exposure, and an unwavering commitment to defending workers’ rights.

Furthermore, the Office of the Prime Minister is urged to critically examine the leadership gaps within the Labour Ministry. The Directorate of Labour Inspectorate, the Directorate of Employment, and the Office of the Labour Commissioner require capable leaders who can restore efficiency, professionalism, and urgency. Namibia cannot afford a labour system that collapses under its own weight, leaving the nation vulnerable to international scrutiny over exploitation and abuse.

The rise in multinational companies accused of unfair treatment of employees should alarm all of us. If unresolved, Namibia risks facing global criticism for failing to uphold basic labour standards. We have a strong Labour Act of 2007, but laws without enforcement are meaningless. Workers cannot be expected to remain silent while their rights are violated.

Namibia is at a critical moment. Our economy is transforming, investment is rising, and the workforce is expanding. A dedicated Ministry of Labour is not a luxury it is a necessity. Splitting the two ministries will enhance focus, ensure workers are protected, and rebuild trust in government institutions. The nation has spoken, and the cries are loud. We humbly appeal for decisive action.

Such decisions must be made with neutrality and fairness, taking into account both the citizens who entrust us with leadership through their votes and the investors who contribute to national growth. Government must remain impartial, supporting all stakeholders who honour and uphold Namibia’s national laws and the Labour Act.

We cannot afford to neglect the ministry mandated to protect the country’s most vulnerable workers. Namibia’s workforce deserves representation, justice, and leadership that prioritizes their daily struggles. By separating the two ministries, the President would not only rectify an administrative oversight but also strengthen the very foundation of social justice in our nation.

Hosea Shishiveni is a Namibian scholar and researcher. He can be reached at hoseasn8@gmail.com.The views expressed in this article are his own.