The long-standing debate surrounding Temporary Employment Services (TES) in Namibia is reaching a critical turning point. Too often the conversation focuses on whether this model should exist at all, while valid historically, may no longer be the most constructive focus. The real issue is the standard to which the industry is held. Public concern around labour hire is real and justified, stemming from fears of unfair treatment, low pay and insecure work. These concerns grow when certain companies ignore the law, creating a deep feeling of distrust.
However, when properly regulated and responsibly managed, TES plays a valuable role in the labour market, helping businesses to remain flexible while opening new doors to formal employment for job seekers. It also supports skills development and helps workers gain useful experience that can lead to long-term employment. Namibia has a rare opportunity, given its evolving regulatory landscape, to establish a compliant, highly regulated TES framework that actively reinvests in local talent, equips workers with transferable skills, and strengthens national capacity across all primary value chains.
The root of distrust – history and market gaps
Public anxiety regarding temporary staffing in Namibia is deeply rooted. Historically, the nation’s liberation movement and ruling party, is historically rooted in resistance to the colonial contract labour system.Today, when rogue operators exploit workers, they inadvertently keep that painful legacy alive. Furthermore, Namibia’s labour ecosystem lacks the overarching sector-specific bargaining councils found in countries like South Africa. Without these institutional bodies to set baseline wages and conditions at an industry level, a significant regulatory burden is placed on individual staffing providers, clients, and state regulators.
“Namibia actually has a really great opportunity to develop the necessary regulatory frameworks, ministerial determinations, and enforcement mechanisms,” notes Natashia Moosa, Commercial Manager for Workforce Staffing Africa & Middle East. “They can look at neighbouring models, learn from the systemic shortcomings and mistakes, and build a highly robust, customised framework that balances flexibility with appropriate protection.”
Drawing the line – exploitation vs. legitimate TES
In order to move forward effectively, the market must clearly separate exploitative practices from ethical staffing operations.
Industry observations indicate that unregulated agencies often exploit workers by charging the host company a monthly fee while simultaneously taking a cut directly from the employee’s paycheck. In line with Namibia’s Labour Act, the prohibition of fee-charging to workers remains a cornerstone of lawful employment practices.
“Let’s be completely clear: charging workers a fee to get a job or taking a cut out of their wages is clear exploitation,” says Julien Karambua, Country Manager for Workforce Staffing Namibia. “Ethical staffing providers act as responsible employers. Finding work through a legitimate provider should always be completely free for the employee.”
There is sometimes confusion at policy level around the distinction.. Recently, the Minister of Labour publicly suggested that staffing companies should simply
withdraw from the employment relationship
once a candidate has been placed in a job.
“That point of view describes a traditional recruitment agency, not a true temporary employment services function,” Karambua clarifies. “When a business needs a permanent employee, hiring them directly is the right choice. However, when work is project-based, seasonal, or subject to market demand, a TES maintains a continuous employment relationship, managing payroll, human resources, and industrial relations directly.”
Shared responsibility and strict accountability
A sustainable temporary staffing model relies on explicit, shared accountability between the TES provider and the host employer. A common point of frustration for unions and labour activists occurs when host employers use temporary services as a legal shield to avoid workplace obligations.
“A legitimate TES will never partner with a client looking to circumvent national labour standards or minimum wage laws,” explains Moosa. “It causes catastrophic reputational damage and long-term liability. However, accountability is a two-way street. For example, because a TES does not own or control the physical workspace, the host employer must remain 100% accountable for site-specific occupational health and safety standards, site inspections, and protective infrastructure.”
To curb historic abuses, government enforcement must evolve alongside industry self-regulation. “Statutory protections are only effective when backed by visible, well-resourced enforcement. Without this, even the strongest frameworks risk losing credibility.
,” Moosa emphasises. “The Namibian government must empower labour inspectors to conduct unannounced, rigorous site investigations to verify compliance with the Labour Act, secure contracts, and ensure fair remuneration.”
Redefining the pathway
Namibia stands at an important juncture. By shifting the conversation from controversy to compliance, the country can establish a sustainable framework that protects workers, supports businesses and contributes to broader economic growth.
“The goal is to reposition temporary employment as a respected, high-value pathway within the national workforce, ensuring that localisation, structured knowledge transfer and sustained investment in local capacity are driven across the value chain,” concludes Karambua.
Across many emerging markets, regulated TES models have been shown to improve labour formalisation and compliance when properly enforced. The question is no longer whether TES should exist, but whether Namibia will define and enforce a model that delivers fairness, protection and economic value for all stakeholders.
