Parliament probes rising contract labour in mining sector

By: Hertha Ekandjo

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Poverty Reduction and Labour Relations has launched a series of oversight visits and public consultations in regions with major mining operations, in response to the mining sector’s increasing reliance on contract and temporary labour.

Despite being legally constrained under the Labour Amendment Act of 2012, the growing use of fixed-term contracts in mining has raised concerns about the systematic erosion of decent work principles. These include the exploitation of workers, weakened union representation, non-compliance with labour conditions attached to Exclusive Prospecting Licences (EPLs), and a shrinking permanent workforce, despite rising mining output.

The Committee noted that the lack of consistent enforcement and monitoring by regulatory authorities has contributed to the persistence of these issues, prompting direct parliamentary intervention.

The oversight initiative aims to gather on-the-ground insights, evaluate the effectiveness of current government interventions, and formulate concrete policy recommendations for Parliament to address the sector’s labour challenges.

Key focus areas of the inquiry include:

Investigating the extent of contract and temporary labour in mining operations; assessing company compliance with EPL labour provisions, competition laws (including merger and acquisition obligations), and Section 128 of the Labour Amendment Act;

documenting firsthand accounts from affected workers regarding wages, safety, retrenchments, and benefits; reviewing the role and accountability of private labour hire agencies; identifying policy and enforcement gaps that contribute to declining labour standards; recommending legislative reforms to the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation.

The two-week oversight consultations will take place in mining-intensive regions, including Erongo, //Kharas, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa, and Khomas. The visits are scheduled from 28 July to 1 August 2025, and from 10 to 16 August 2025.