Civil servants who sell goods at the workplace without written approval face disciplinary action ranging from a N$2 000 fine to dismissal, the Public Service Commission has warned.
PSC chairperson Patrick Nandago this week said public servants must serve the public instead of turning workplaces into their business premises.
After the commission’s regional visits come to an end on Friday, managers and supervisors at public institutions can apply the Public Service Act 13 of 1995, stating that conducting private sales or business during official working hours without written approval constitutes serious misconduct.
A worker could face a formal disciplinary hearing, a formal caution or written reprimand, an administrative fine of up to N$2 000, compulsory transfer, salary reduction, demotion, or dismissal from the public service.
The warning comes as the PSC is visiting regional councils and governors’ offices to address human resource management, performance and compliance with public service regulations.
The commission visited the Zambezi region last week, followed by Kavango East region on Monday and yesterday.
It will visit the Kavango West region today, with further engagements planned in other regions.
The engagements aim to improve service delivery across government structures.
“Civil servants are not supposed to be selling their goods at workplaces. Leadership must not allow civil servants to abuse working hours,” Nandago told The Namibian yesterday.
The prohibition includes selling sweets, ‘order with me’ items, hampers and cakes.
TRANSPARENCY CONCERNS
The commission has further come across concerns about transparency, recruitment processes and deteriorating public infrastructure.
Nandago says the findings and recommendations from the visits would be compiled into a report for prime minister Elijah Ngurare’s attention.
“Instead of attending to clients who come for services, they make clients customers, thereby disregarding their duties,” he says.
Independent Patriots for Change parliamentarian Elvis Lizazi says civil servants who conduct private business during working hours are depriving the government of the time they are paid for.
“We cannot serve two masters at the same time. You will serve the one well and neglect the other. I agree with the chairperson of the commission. We need value for money in the public service,” he says.
Civil servants who want to operate businesses must employ sales people instead of using official working hours to sell their goods, he says.
‘DEEPER FAILURES’
However, parliamentarian Vetaruhe Kandorozu describes the situation as a reflection of deeper leadership failures, arguing that misconduct among junior employees could indicate weak supervision at the top.
“If the governors and regional councils are unable to discipline their subordinates, the system will have those types of indicators,” he says.
Kandorozu says the government’s performance appraisal management system appears ineffective in some institutions, calling for disciplinary action against employees who neglect their official duties to pursue private business.
“Hawkers’ activities are not supposed to be allowed at any public institution during and after office hours,” he says, adding that those found guilty should be punished accordingly.
Kandorozu says president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah should assess governors’ performance, arguing that frequent travel could undermine their attention to regional responsibilities.
Meanwhile, Public Service Union of Namibia secretary general Ndjizuvee Haakuria says side businesses are not automatically prohibited under public service staff rules, provided employees follow the required procedures.
Haakuria says civil servants intending to operate businesses must complete a form seeking permission to engage in activities outside the public service.
He acknowledges that some employees have been conducting business without obtaining the necessary permission, sometimes because they were unaware of the requirements.
However, the union has encountered cases in which supervisors responded with warnings and reminders to complete the relevant forms, rather than immediately imposing severe penalties, he says.
Industrial psychologist and human resource practitioner Lifalaza Simataa says the commission’s concerns are justified.
He says employees should inform their employers about outside business activities and ensure these do not conflict with their contracts, duties or organisational policies.
“Side hustles are allowed, but they should not conflict with the rules and regulations or the duties that you have,” he says.
Simataa says the commission should also promote clear guidelines on how public servants can register businesses, disclose their interests and obtain permission to operate them for accountability while allowing them to pursue legitimate additional income.
