The new act gives more benefits to women. Female employees are guaranteed a minimum of 12 weeks paid maternity leave which is paid at 100% of their basic wage as opposed to the current 80%. And unlike in the current act where female employees only have to claim from the Social Security Commission, it is the employers who now have to claim from the commission. Muranda said the commission has already completed the draft of the new Labour Act and is consulting with government before the Ministry of Labour refers it to law makers.

"We will make the necessary announcement when it is concluded," he said. The new act contains many benefits to employees and employers alike. Employees have been given compassionate leave, under which each employee is entitled to five non-accumulative days in the period of 12 months. The days will come with full paid remuneration. The days are to be used in case of death or serious illness in the family. The family is defined as child, including adopted children adopted through tradition or custom, spouses married through any union recognised as marriage. It also includes the death of grandparents. For employers, the new act gives benefits in the form of the mediation and arbitration process. The new act introduces the dispute resolution system, which states that conflicts go through conciliation, and if not resolved, to the arbitration board for determination.

Tim Parkhouse of the Namibia Employment Federation (NEF) described the new process as "ground breaking" and said it will bring many benefits to the economy if administered correctly. Herbert Jauch of the Labour Resources and Research Institute (LaRRI) said the conciliation and arbitration process eliminates the losses incurred during industrial strike while employees will no longer have to engage in the long and unpaid industrial strikes. "It is shorter and quicker," said Jauch, adding that negotiations are much more productive. Only after an unsuccessful arbitration process can there be an industrial action. In the old act, when the intervention of the labour commission is unsuccessful, employees or unions only have to give 48 hour notice to strike.

The new process also eliminates the long hours and the expenses involved in approaching the labour court to rule on matters. "The old system was too bureaucratic and legalistic with very slow reaction times, not equally accessible to employees and employers," said LaRRI. The NEF has raised some concerns with the Minister of Labour on the new act which it hopes that changes will be made before the act is tabled before in Parliament in September. Parkhouse said there were many technical problems, let alone substantial problems, in the act when it was drafted.

"We believe everyone else is desperate to see the amendments made," said Parkhouse, adding that the act should not be one sided but should benefit both employees and employers.

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