As the Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) marks 40 years since its establishment, the union has embarked on a nationwide engagement programme to reconnect with its membership and reflect on a legacy that has evolved from labour activism into one of the country’s most significant worker-owned empowerment structures.
The celebrations began in Swakopmund with the first of four regional roundtable discussions under the theme “From the Shaft to the Chamber: Workers’ Voices, National Choices”, bringing together mineworkers, union leadership, government representatives and industry stakeholders to discuss the future of labour, economic transformation and worker participation in Namibia’s mining sector.
The initiative is supported by the Namibia Miners Investment Trust (NAMIT) and NAM-MIC Holdings, the union’s investment vehicles.
For an organisation founded to protect workers’ rights and improve workplace conditions, the anniversary also offers an opportunity to showcase how the union has expanded its role beyond collective bargaining.
Over the past four decades, MUN has built an economic empowerment model that now includes investments, education funding, SME support, housing initiatives and legal protection for members.
According to the union, its investment structures have grown into a diversified portfolio valued at more than N$700 million, supporting over 2,600 shareholders and beneficiaries across Namibia’s 14 regions.
Through the NAMIT EduFund, 580 beneficiaries have received support for tertiary education.
At the same time, the union says it became the first in Namibia and among the first in the Southern African Development Community to provide comprehensive legal cover for members.
A distinctive feature of the model is worker ownership. Through NAMITVEST, mineworkers, former mineworkers and their descendants collectively own a 25% stake in NAM-MIC, allowing ordinary workers to participate directly in wealth creation generated through the mining industry.
The arrangement is funded through payroll deductions at participating employers, including NAMDEB, Swakop Uranium and SPAR Oranjemund.
The Swakopmund roundtable also focused on broader policy questions affecting the mining sector, including Labour Act reforms, beneficiation, local content, equity participation in mining projects, skills development and the implications of the just energy transition for employment.
Addressing the gathering, Minister of Justice and Labour Relations Wise Immanuel said workers’ voices must influence policy-making and legislative processes, noting that Namibia’s ratification of International Labour Organisation conventions on freedom of association and collective bargaining reflects the government’s commitment to organised labour.
He further stressed that government, employers and workers share responsibility for maintaining constructive industrial relations and sustainable economic growth.
Acting MUN president Poco Key Mberiuana said the roundtables were designed to take the union’s leadership back to the grassroots and ensure members guide the organisation’s future priorities.
“Our focus and commitment is always on what we can achieve. We are here today, most importantly, to say what challenges us as an organisation and how we most want these things to be combated so that we are a worthy union,” he said.
Western regional chairperson Gerhardus Afrikaner said the engagements help ensure mineworkers’ experiences are reflected in national policy discussions.
At the same time, general secretary George Ampweya highlighted several recent initiatives, including the Retirement Incentive Benefit introduced in 2025; 147 tertiary bursaries awarded for the 2026 academic year through the NAMIT Education Fund; the MUN Legal Plan; and the NAMIT SME Fund.
Members attending the event also pointed to the practical benefits of union membership. Long-serving member Tjipe Kandukira credited the union with protecting employment and expanding access to investment and educational opportunities.
At the same time, Nico Esau said that support from the EduFund enabled him to pursue labour studies and called for more regular engagement between leaders and members.
As MUN enters its fifth decade, the union says the regional roundtables are intended not only to celebrate past achievements but also to ensure that mineworkers remain central to conversations about Namibia’s economic future.
Additional engagements are planned across the country, alongside new initiatives such as the MUN Games, aimed at promoting unity, wellness and participation among members.
