Public servant cries out over loan debt trap
A senior cleaner at Katutura Intermediate Hospital, Lydia Udjombala, has opened up about the harsh realities faced by low-income public servants, saying many are trapped in a cycle of debt simply because their salaries are too low to survive on. Speaking before the parliamentary standing committee on economics on Friday, which is investigating whether existing […] The post Public servant cries out over loan debt trap appeared first on The Namibian.
Black News 
A senior cleaner at Katutura Intermediate Hospital, Lydia Udjombala, has opened up about the harsh realities faced by low-income public servants, saying many are trapped in a cycle of debt simply because their salaries are too low to survive on.
Speaking before the parliamentary standing committee on economics on Friday, which is investigating whether existing laws adequately protect Namibians from exploitative microlending practices, Udjombala said borrowing money is often not a choice but a necessity.
She said when she started working, her basic salary was N$2 200, which increased to about N$3 000 after housing and transport allowances were added.
Although she now earns around N$4 000 per month, Udjombala said the salary remains insufficient to cover basic living expenses, including housing, transport and food, as the cost of living continues to rise.
She argued that salary increments have failed to keep pace with increasing fuel prices, taxi fares and the cost of essential goods.
Udjombala called on the government to abolish Grade 15 positions and place cleaners on at least Grade 12, which she believes would provide a more dignified income.
She also recommended compulsory financial literacy programmes for public servants to help prevent debt dependency.
“I became very thin because of a N$300 deduction from my salary. I could not help my mother or my children. These situations push people into depression, and we even hear of some taking their own lives,” she said.
“We are forced by our situation. There comes a point when you can no longer borrow from lenders because you’re blacklisted and you start borrowing from colleagues. At the end of the day, your entire payslip goes towards paying debt,” she said.
The post Public servant cries out over loan debt trap appeared first on The Namibian.
