Social protection benefit adjustments welcomed

By: Envaalde Matheus

The adjustments to social protection benefits by the Social Security Commission (SSC) have been welcomed as a step towards helping beneficiaries cope with rising living costs.

Labour and justice minister, Wise Immanuel, on Tuesday in Windhoek announced that maternity benefits will rise to N$20 000, while death, disability and retirement benefits will each increase to N$15 000 with effect from 1 October.

Sick leave will be N$ 15 000 for the first 12 months, after which the installment will be adjusted to N$ 13 000 monthly for the last 12 months.

Immanuel said the benefits must not only exist on paper but must be visible and felt in terms of how they are impacting the real experience of citizens.

“An expectant mother or a mother that is going into confinement is not worried on how to meet the household needs for there is a better and reasonable income security. So that a worker that falls terminally ill is not worried about the devastating loss of income that may be occasioned by the illness,” he said.

Chairperson of the Economic and Social Justice Trust, Herbert Jauch, said the adjustments are overdue, saying while the increase is small, it will help beneficiaries cover some of their daily costs.

“It’s an adjustment to take at least pace with the costs of living. It’s been a long time since the last adjustment was made so these increases will at least help those that are covered with the costs in a better way,” he said.

Social justice activist, Nafimane Hamukoshi, said the increase strengthens social protection and promotes greater economic security for people who depend on it.

“I think when the benefits increase people have more support to meet their basic needs and especially those who depend on social protection because we have to remember and we have to also evaluate and see geopolitics, the economic changes and the things that are just happening like in the whole world in its entirety,” she said.

Hamukoshi said rising food, fuel and other living costs continue to put pressure on households.

Chairperson of the National Federation of People with Disabilities, Matheus Hashoongo, said the increase is a positive step, but disability support still needs attention.

“Let me say I’m neutral because we think disability is a package of bondage where I think it was supposed to be even at 20,000 like maternity leave because if you are looking at the cost of disability utilities it’s quite costly so but anyway we are very grateful,” he said.

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