Government body that audits staff recruitment, handles misconduct complaints, and approves senior appointments, overseeing 72 complaints amid institutional delays.
Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
May 2026
The Namibian
Public Service Commissionauditedjust 8% of government job hires during 2024/25 financial year
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“The Public Service Commission (PSC) audited just 8% of government job hires during the 2024/25 financial year, sparking concerns over transparency and administrative oversight.”
the Public Service Commissionmade a recommendation forthe transfer
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“She confirmed that the transfer was made following a recommendation by the Public Service Commission, in accordance with Section 5(1) and Section 23(2)(ii) of the Public Service Act (No. 13 of 1995).”
Public Service Commissiondecided to retain16 officials over age 60 due to specialised skills
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“The Public Service Commission's (PSC) decision to retain 16 officials over the age of 60 due to their specialised skills has drawn sharp criticism regarding political patronage and stagnant youth employment.”
Public Service Commissionis tackling72 complaints and various misconduct appeals
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“The Public Service Commission (PSC) is tackling 72 complaints and various misconduct appeals while urging government institutions to improve transparency and speed up information submissions.”
Public Service Commissionis composed ofa chairperson and three to six other people nominated by the president and appointed by the National Assembly
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“Employees of government ministries and agencies are selected by the Public Service Commission (PSC), which is composed of a chairperson and three to six other people nominated by the president and appointed by the National Assembly for five-year terms.”
The Public Service Commissionhad commissioners that required approvalbut approval had not been done as members of opposition parties walked out
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“The adjournment came amid the Speaker ordering that the House continue with a motion which had been undisposed of in the previous session of Parliament, pertaining to the approval of commissioners for the Public Service Commission, which had not been done as members of opposition parties walked out.”
Public Service Commissionis said to have submittedMukasa as top contender for appointment
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“Mukasa and Haiyambo were subsequently recommended to the Public Service Commission (PSC), which is said to have submitted Mukasa as the top contender for appointment.”
Public Service Commissionstated the public service cost the stateN$35.4 billion annually when comprising 107,000 employees
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“According to the Public Service Commission, the public service cost the state about N$35.4 billion annually, including benefits, when it comprised 107 000 employees.”
The Ministry of Health and Social Services has removed Fransina Nambahu as registrar of medicines at the Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council and appointed Frieda Shiweda to the position effective 1 June 2026. Sources told the Windhoek Observer that Nambahu was removed after refusing to approve substandard medicines, contradicting the ministry's stated reason of structural review.
Why it matters
Health ministry's removal of medicines registrar and replacement raises questions about drug approval standards and ministerial independence.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services has removed Fransina Nambahu as registrar of medicines at the Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council and appointed Frieda Shiweda to the position effective 1 June 2026. Sources told the Windhoek Observer that Nambahu was removed after refusing to approve substandard medicines, contradicting the ministry's stated reason of structural review.
The Independent Patriots for Change says it will not take a position on whether inspector general of Police Joseph Shikongo should remain in office, but insists that due process must be followed and calls on the Executive to release all documents demonstrating compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements for suspension.
The Public Service Commission audited 796 files out of 10,410 staff members at 10 government offices, ministries, agencies and regional councils during the 2024/25 financial year to assess compliance with recruitment procedures and public service regulations. PSC chairperson Patrick Nandago cited delays in resolving matters and slow institutional responses as ongoing concerns hampering the commission's oversight effectiveness.
Former inspector general Sebastian Ndeitunga says the failure to detect a man who entered the presidential residence last week exposed weaknesses across the police chain of command. The breach has fuelled speculation about the status of police inspector general Joseph Shikongo and raised questions about the VIP Protection Unit's head Michael Abraham.
Former executive director of urban and rural development Petrus Sindimba has been transferred to the Cabinet secretariat in the Office of the Prime Minister, where he will serve as executive director without accounting powers, following a recommendation by the Public Service Commission.
The Supreme Court found that former prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila acted lawfully under the Public Service Act when she blocked the appointment of Phelem Masule as the Anti-Corruption Commission's chief of investigations and prosecutions in July 2020. Although the court found the High Court erred in setting aside her decision, it dismissed the government's appeal after determining the appellants failed to rely on the correct section of the Act in their appeal.
The Public Service Commission retained 16 officials over the age of 60 due to their specialised skills, citing legal provisions for critical expertise gaps, but the decision has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition over potential political patronage and youth unemployment.
The Public Service Commission is handling 72 complaints and 37 misconduct appeals, with most cases linked to recruitment processes. Delays in resolving matters persist due to slow or incomplete information submissions from government institutions, prompting the PSC to urge accounting officers to improve transparency and submit information promptly.
Transport Minister Veikko Nekundi ordered an investigation into alleged tribal bias in recruitment at the Roads Authority, finding it employs about 74 people from the Zambezi region compared to more than 300 from northern Namibia. The probe has revived broader allegations of tribalism in hiring practices across Namibian state-owned enterprises and government offices.
The Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters has challenged the health ministry's decision to transfer rather than suspend officials allegedly involved in pharmaceutical theft and stock record manipulation. Health minister Esperance Luvindao said due process and Public Service Commission regulations must be followed before suspensions can occur.
Namibian law provides clear procedures for holding government employees accountable for misconduct, including suspension, fines, demotion and dismissal through disciplinary committees. The challenge is not legal complexity but lack of political will to enforce these rules consistently.
The Namibian government has begun reviewing a field development plan from TotalEnergies for the Venus oil project, a key step toward formal negotiations and investment approval. The project is projected to generate between N$127 billion and N$229 billion in government revenue over 25 years, potentially accounting for 7.9% to 14.2% of total government income.
The Mariental Youth Resource Centre operates at reduced capacity with only two staff members instead of the required seven, while its converted house premises lacks youth-friendly infrastructure. The centre is pursuing a five-year plan to construct a new multipurpose facility and has revived programmes in agricultural cooperatives, entrepreneurship training, and environmental education despite staffing constraints.
The National Assembly approved the appointment of Patrick Nandago, Linda Scott, Lidwina Shapwa and Gerson Kamatuka as Public Service Commission commissioners for five years beginning March 2026, with 48 Swapo votes securing approval despite opposition parties boycotting the vote and challenging the process.
The Deputy Speaker adjourned the National Assembly session after AR leader Job Amupanda and Deputy Minister of Education Dino Ballotti engaged in a verbal confrontation. Ballotti later apologized to Amupanda, acknowledging that MPs should treat each other with respect.
The Supreme Court of Namibia has declined to review Salmaan Jacobs's application to overturn a High Court ruling that found him guilty of corruption; Jacobs, the Chairperson of the Public Service Commission, is set to appear in Keetmanshoop Regional Court on 12 May 2026 for sentencing after the High Court in November 2025 found him guilty of using his former office as CRO of //Kharas Region to transfer N$30,000 to a company owned by himself and his wife under false pretenses.
Opposition MPs staged a walkout from the National Assembly on Thursday when the government sought urgent approval of four Public Service Commission commissioners, citing concerns about their age, qualifications, ethnic representation, and lack of adequate debate. The walkout left no quorum for the vote to proceed.
Legal experts say engaging senior private practitioners to prosecute the Fishrot fraud case would cost the government at least N$6 million annually, far more than the state advocates currently handling it—though prosecutors benefit from job security and pension entitlements unavailable in private practice.
Three Bank of Namibia executives—Nicholas Mukasa, Emma Haiyambo, and Florette Nakusera—have been shortlisted to fill the vacant deputy governor position; according to sources, Mukasa is the front-runner after the Public Service Commission submitted him as the top contender.
The ||Kharas Regional Council has appointed Megameno Shikongo as acting chief regional officer for three months, following the arrest of former acting CRO Ralph Sachika on fraud, forgery, money laundering and corruption charges. The council is awaiting approval from the Public Service Commission to appoint a substantive CRO by 1 April.
Namibia's public sector workforce has grown to 119,000 employees with a wage bill expected to reach 38% of the budget by 2026/27, prompting analysts to warn of reduced productivity and poor service delivery. Political analyst Sakaria Johannes says government may be spending more on unproductive workers, though parliamentarian Kennedy Simasiku argues the spending is necessary for government to deliver essential services despite the fiscal strain.
A Namibian assessment of President Cyril Ramaphosa's 2025 State of the Nation pledges finds significant progress on energy reform and infrastructure investment, but widespread failure in local government service delivery, water provision, jobs creation, and health insurance rollout. The analysis concludes the president is "fixing the system but failing the street," where citizens experience repeated failure in municipal services, water crises, and public health.
Two high-profile state prosecutors leading the Fishrot fraud and corruption trial, Deputy Prosecutor General Ed Marondedze and State Prosecutor Cliff Lutibezi, threatened to resign over low pay and were subsequently granted a N$54,000 monthly salary increase. The salary increase has drawn criticism from some colleagues whose own pleas for raises have not been addressed, and from a former deputy prosecutor general who says the timing is problematic given the case's current stage.
The Prime Minister has approved the appointment of Ms Linda Nakale as the new Executive Director and Accounting Officer of the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, effective 1 January 2026, following a Public Service Commission recommendation. Nakale, who holds a Master's Degree in Leadership Development in ICTs, previously served as Director of Information and Communication Technology Development in the same ministry since 2016.