By Rinelda Mouton
Continued allegations of racial wage discrimination have triggered outrage after claims emerged that some previously-advantaged (white) employees are pocketing significantly higher salaries than their colleagues of a different race doing the same work and with equal qualifications and experience.
The practice which deeply- rooted in apartheid-era economic patterns has irked critics who say previously-disadvantaged (black) workers continue to battle unfair pay and limited opportunities.
Employment Equity Commissioner (EEC) Otniel Podewiltz said the commission has noted allegations of this type of practice in the public domain. However, no employee has approached the commission with a formal complaint or dispute in this regard.
He said equity generally connotes fairness and pertains to a body of principles or employment practices applicable from recruitment through to termination.
“To this end, the Commission requires employers employing 20 or more employees to submit annual affirmative action reports.
These reports require salary information to be provided on the prescribed forms. The Commission did not find any form of pay discrimination among employers submitting reports. This, however, does not mean that the alleged practices do not occur. Pay equity is the principle of compensating employees with similar job functions with comparable pay, regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity or other status,” Podewiltz said.
“A few years ago, the commission requested the actual payrolls from several employers, and pay differences were noted. Many of these could be explained, inter alia, by differences in qualifications, skills, experience and occupational levels,” he added.
According to him, in a few cases where no explanations could be offered, or where such explanations were deemed unacceptable, the Commission directed corrections, and those adjustments were made.
“As part of its 2026/2027 annual plan activities, the commission will again require employers to submit actual payrolls for its research on the matter and to conduct an assessment of the state of affairs in the world of work.”
REALITY
Affirmative Repositioning member of parliament Ester Haikola-Sakaria told Confidente that “black people” are systematically being suffocated by white establishments. She added that there are also cases where ”black people” discriminate against others, with some receiving higher salaries due to favouritism and tribalism. “We need to pass a law that will compel all employers to state the salary scale when advertising positions, as is done in government and some SOEs like Social Security Commission, and make their payroll accessible to employees so that such discrepancies can be easily identified and dealt with. Currently, employers hide behind the issue that salaries are confidential. Even if employees know what is happening, they cannot challenge it because they are not protected by the law,” Haikola-Sakaria said.
Haikola-Sakaria said she hopes parliament will confront the matter with the necessary conscience to undo the legacy of the past. “To my fellow Namibians who are being discriminated against, I just want to say that we understand their pain and we are pushing boundaries. They must remain positive.” Meanwhile, Frans Samuel said after graduation he was shocked to discover that a “white” graduate was earning more than him during their internships at the same company.
“He was earning N$1,000 more than me during our internship and N$2,000 more than me when we were both employed by the company after successfully completing our internships. I talked to some colleagues about this and was told that perhaps he had negotiated for a higher salary than me with management. I was so hurt and discouraged by this. This must not happen in our country. We are, after all, an independent country,” Samuel explained.
BLATANT
Herbert Jauch, a labour researcher, said paying people differently according to skin colour is blatant discrimination and a crime in terms of the Prohibition of Racial Discrimination Act.
“When such practices are suspected, the employer needs to show that payments are based on merit, performance and qualifications and not on skin colour. Those affected should first lodge a grievance at their workplace to ensure that the matter is investigated and rectified if it is a case of discrimination. If no internal solution can be found, affected staff members can lodge a case with the Office of the Labour Commissioner,” Jauch said.
Former ambassador Pius Dunaiski said these practices are a shameful hangover of apartheid colonialism, whose legacy sought to reduce black and coloured people to second-class citizens economically and socially.
He said after 36 years of independence, there can be no justification for employers to maintain racist salary structures or discriminatory labour practices, adding that equal work must receive equal pay, regardless of race.
“Such conduct must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. In an independent Namibia founded on equality, human dignity and human rights, racial discrimination in the workplace is a flagrant violation of the Namibian Constitution, particularly the constitutional protections guaranteeing equality before the law and freedom from discrimination,” Dunaiski said.
He added that it is deeply painful and humiliating for affected employees because it undermines their dignity, morale and confidence in the promise of a just and democratic Namibia.
“Such conduct also threatens national unity and social cohesion. Those responsible for racial discrimination in workplaces must be named and shamed publicly, and decisive legal action must follow. Namibians who are aware of such cases should urgently report them. Discrimination is outlawed in Namibia and must never be tolerated.”
Social justice activist Saddam Amushelelo said the practice of black professionals being underpaid while having the same qualifications as their white counterparts is nothing new in Namibia.
“This had to be done covertly so that it never appears as if racism is still being practised. You will be shocked to find that whites with absolutely no qualifications whatsoever earn more than blacks who are qualified. I honestly feel bad when I hear about such things. However, that just shows us that we have an incompetent, pathetic and weak government that is unable to formulate and enforce policies to ensure that no one is discriminated against on the basis of their skin colour,” Amushelelo said.
Amushelelo said Namibia needs genuine leaders who will ensure that the Constitution is not violated because current leaders are fearful of treating everyone equally.
Political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah said although the practice is often linked to colonial history, he believes more evidence-based research is needed on the matter.
“It is disappointing and unfair when people are treated differently because of race or gender. It can affect morale, trust and unity in the workplace and society at large. In my view, Namibia needs stronger enforcement of labour laws, regular salary audits in companies, and more transparency around pay structures. More research and reporting on workplace inequalities would also help address the issue,” Kamwanyah said.
