President Hage Geingob has tasked the Public Service Commission (PSC) to review the bloated civil service, saying if possible the figure of 107 000 civil servants should be cut in half in efforts to reduce the government wage bill.

Speaking during a courtesy visit by PSC Commissioners to State House on Thursday, Geingob said there is a need to address the oversized public service, explaining that the bloating was a result of the government being inclusive of all Namibians, especially those who were left out during the apartheid era.

“When we got independence, blacks were left out and the idea was to bring them in after independence. However the constitution was very clear that you cannot fire those who were found there… So we brought new people on top of those who were already there and that added to the size of the public service with an idea that after independence, it will go down to the proper size,” he explained.

The Head of State said the government has failed to restructure the bloated public service, noting that there might be duplication of duties resulting in some civil servants having nothing to do, adding that it is equally important to identify whether the current public service size speaks to the Namibian population.

“People are asking for a salary increment every year but they do not think that they are already employed… Therefore when you look at the budget it is addressing those on the streets, children, orphans and elderly. The public service must be looked at and maybe cut in half so that those who remain can be given proper salaries,” he said.

At the same event PSC Chairperson Salmaan Jacobs, while handing over the PSC 2021/2022 report, revealed that there are more women (accounting for 73 per cent) than men (37 per cent) employed in lower job categories, while there are more men representing (54 per cent) than women (46 per cent) in management.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency