A month-long strike by NHE employees has ended after management and the union agreed on a once-off payment of N$5 000.

The employees went on strike after management and the union reached a deadlock over wage negotiations.

The negotiations, which centered around salary increments, have ended with the employees agreeing to deductions from their salaries, given the "no work, no pay" rule in place during the strike - over an eight-month period. 

The employees had initially demanded a 7% salary increment and later proposed a once-off payment of N$10,000.

Finance and Public Enterprises Minister, Iipumbu Shiimi has dismissed reports that government will not affect civil servants' salary increments as a result of stringent conditions enforced by the International Monetary Fund.

Shiimi explained that as a result of COVID-19, the government was forced to seek some additional financial resources from the IMF.

However, he says this money did not come with conditions and that government did not commit not to increasing the salaries.
 

The strike at the National Housing Enterprise today entered its third day.

Employees say their industrial action is not only about salary increments, but overall governance at the company.

NHE Management is adamant that there is no money to effect salary increments.

Workers however say recent events within the institution indicate otherwise. 

They cited as an example, a trip undertaken by management to Cape Town and the holding of executive meetings at hotels instead of the company's boardroom, as well as the unprocedural appointment of certain employees.