The Social Security Commission (SSC) has initiated a review of its governing act to align with the latest developments and enhance operational efficiency.
The SSC’s Chief Executive, Milka Mungunda, explained that the current act, being outdated, contains provisions that hinder progress in certain areas.
For instance, she said while the Bank of Namibia has phased out the use of cheques, the SSC still requires them due to outdated legislation.
“We are reviewing our act, which is a little bit old, and there are certain provisions in it that are not in line with the latest developments. Once the act is amended, there are certain things we can do to move faster,” said Mungunda at a recent Information Sharing Session.
This comes as the Social Security Commission was established by Parliament under the Social Security Act of 1994 (Act No. 34 of 1994).
One of the significant challenges SSC faces is the technological aspect of its operations.
While progress has been made, Mungunda pointed out that there is still room for improvement, particularly in moving away from traditional methods.
Furthermore, the SSC has been working on revising its ceiling for maternity benefits in compliance with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention.
Despite these efforts, challenges persist, particularly for those injured on duty, where the act’s restrictions limit the improvements that can be made to certain benefits.
“We have a ceiling, and we are always revising it, but when it comes to certain benefits, we cannot improve because the act restricts us. These are the challenges we are looking at,†noted Mungunda.
Another concern raised by the public involves early retirement. While the SSC Act stipulates payouts at age 60, questions have been raised regarding payment options for individuals retiring before that age.
She acknowledged the issue and said the SSC is in discussions with the Office of the Prime Minister to address the matter.
“The act strongly provides for payments up to the age of 60, but we’ve received many concerns about early retirement, and it’s something we are looking into,” Mungunda confirmed.
Meanwhile, SSC is advancing its digital transformation to enhance efficiency and streamline operations.
The commission has rolled out several digital services, including online submission of Form Ten and electronic payments, reducing the need for in-person visits. A chatbot now assists users with queries.
“We are moving towards fully digitising our systems. Employers can now submit forms, check contributions, and request good-standing certificates from their desks. Payments can be made through EFT, reflecting immediately in our system,†said Mungunda.
SSC has also introduced digital cashiers across its offices, phasing out cash transactions to minimise risk. Employees involved in cash collection are being retrained to support the digital shift.
“We are moving away from handling cash due to the risks involved. We’re retraining and upskilling our staff to take on new roles, ensuring no one is retrenched during this process,” Mungunda explained.
